CARP 


KS    y\ 


CAPTAIN    COURTESY 


"I  CAN'T  MAKE  OUT — IT  WHISPERS,  ONLY  WHISPERS" 


ffe    CAPTAIN 


• 


COURTESY 


BY 


EDWARD  CHILDS  CARPENTER 


Five  Illustrations  in  Color 

by 
ELENORE  PLAISTED  ABBOTT 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  LONDON 

GEORGE  W.  JACOBS  &  CO. 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1906,  by 

GEORGE  W.  JACOBS  &  COMPANY 

Published  September,    1906 


All  rights  reserved 
Printed  in  U.  S.  A. 


SHE  INSISTED  THAT 
THIS  SHOULD  BE  A 
LOVE  STORY;  THERE 
FORE  I  DEDICATE  IT 
TO  HER— MY  MOTHER 


908943 


CHAPTERS  PAGE 

I.     "I  AM  THE  VERY  PINK  OF  COURTESY"     .      .  11 
II.    "  BLACK    SPIRITS    AND    WHITE,    RED    SPIRITS 

AND    GRAY  "        29 

III.  "THE  PAGE  OF  DESTINY" 51 

IV.  "  STRAINS  THAT  MIGHT  CREATE  A  SOUL  "     .  65 
V.     "  TELL  ME,  WHERE  Is  FANCY  BRED  ? "     .      .  75 

VI.    "  WTHILE  NIGHT'S   BLACK   AGENTS   TO   THEIR 

PREYS  DO  ROUSE" 89 

VII.    "  IT    BEHOOVES    You,    THEN,    TO    PLY    YOUR 

FINEST   ART" 99 

VIII.    "  CUPID'S   MOST   CUNNING   NET  is   MADE   OF 

THAT  HAIR" I11 

IX.    "THESE    WOMEN    BE    ALL    SUCH    MAD    AND 

PEEVISH   ELVES" 127 

X.    "  THE  SMALLEST  GOD,  BUT  THE  MIGHTIEST  "  145 
XI.    "A  THING  THAT  CREEPS  AND  CANNOT  Go"  101 
XII.    "FORTUNE'S  A  JADE,  I  CABE  NOT  WHO  TELL 

HER"   .  175 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTERS  PAGE 

XIII.  "  DARE    TO    BE    GREAT    WITHOUT    A    GUILTY 

CROWN"    .     .     .     »     .     .«•;     .     .     .     .   191 

XIV.  "  ANGELS    ARE    BRIGHT    STILL,    THOUGH    THE 

BRIGHTEST  FELL"     ........  203 

XV.     "OUR  BROKEN  TUNES  WE  THUS  REPAIR"     .  221 

XVI.     "  SOUND  THE  CALL  TO  ARMS  " 239 

XVII.     "WHAT  is  LOVE?    I  WILL  TELL  THEE"    .      .  249 
XVIII.     "  BUT    Kiss    YOUR   HOSTESS    AND    Go    YOUR 

WAY" 257 

XIX.     "Now  THE  BATTLE   COMES" 267 

XX.     "THE  LAST  GREAT  STAKE"  .  285 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


"I  CAN'T  MAKE  OUT  — IT   WHISPERS  —  ONLY  WHIS 
PERS  " Frontispiece 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  VIOLIN  GREW  FAINTER     Facing  page  72 

"  WHEN  ARE  You  GOING  TO  CONCLUDE  THIS 

FARCE?"     ....'.'.....      "        "      102 

"  COME  TO  ME  WHEN  You  ARE  NOT  A  MEXI 
CAN  OFFICER"    .      .     .-' '.     ....."        "138 

"CAN'T  You  BE  REASONABLE?"   .  "        "     288 


'I  AM  THE  VERY  PINK 
OF  COURTESY" 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 

CHAPTER  I 


ACUNDO  MARTINES,  the  Mexican 
courier,  with  gold  in  his  saddle-bags  and 
despatches  under  his  leathern  jacket, 
rode  furiously  down  the  fragrant  San  Gabriel 
Valley.  He  feared  the  night  which  in  California 
extinguishes  the  day  as  one  snuffs  a  candle.  He 
looked  anxiously  to  the  west.  The  sun  lingered 
but  a  moment  over  the  mountain  peaks,  then  flung 
up  its  golden  arms  and  sank  in  a  sea  of  crimson 
and  purple.  Facundo  turned  his  face  to  the  east. 
The  night  was  riding  faster  than  he.  It  overtook 
him  and,  like  a  pall,  enveloped  him.  No  longer 
able  to  distinguish  the  trail,  he  was  obliged  to 
13 


COURTESY 


travel  slowly,  consoling  himself  with  the  thought 
that  he  was  within  three  miles  of  the  presidio  at 
San  Gabriel,  where  he  might  stop  for  the  night  and 
in  the  early  morning  hasten  on  to  Los  Nietos  and 
deliver  gold  and  despatches  to  General  Castro. 

"  Then,"  mused  he,  "  with  my  pay  in  my  pocket, 
I  shall  buy  the  red  scarf  which  Senorita  Rosa  so 
much  admired  and  we  shall  see  whether  or  no 
Juan  — " 

"  Pardon,  Sefior ;  your  saddle-bags !  " 

At  this  command,  breaking  wierdly  from  out  the 
darkness,  the  courier  pulled  up  his  horse  sharply 
and  reached  for  his  pistol. 

"  I  said  your  saddle-bags  —  not  your  holster !  " 
These  words  were  spoken  quietly  but  ominously,  in 
staccato  measure,  like  the  click  of  the  gun-hammer 
which  accompanied  them.  The  voice  was  close  to 
Facundo,  directly  in  front  of  him,  in  fact,  and 
then  he  saw,  as  through  a  veil  of  black  crape,  the 
figure  of  a  horseman  with  rifle  resting  on  his  sad- 
14 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


die-bow.  "  A  thousand  pardons,  Senor,"  con 
tinued  the  highwayman  suavely,  extending  his 
hand,  "  but  I  shall  not  make  a  third  request." 

"  Madre  de  Dies!"  whimpered  the  courier,  as 
with  trembling  fingers  he  unstrapped  his  saddle 
bags  ;  "  His  Excellency  will  flog  me  for  this ! " 

"Castro!"  ejaculated  the  road-agent,  relieving 
the  Mexican  of  the  gold.  "  Then  you  are  the 
courier  from  Pio  Pico." 

Facundo  involuntarily  pressed  his  hand  to  his 
jacket. 

"  I  fear  I  shall  have  to  trouble  you  for  the  des 
patches,  Senor."  The  highwayman  playfully 
tapped  the  Mexican's  breast  with  the  rifle  muzzle. 

"  His  Excellency  will  hang  me,"  sobbed  Fa 
cundo. 

"  I   should   be   sorry   for   that,"   remarked   the 
other ;  "  but  what  is  one  man   compared  with  a 
whole  settlement?     I  fancy  these  despatches  order 
another  raid  on  some  American  colony." 
15 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  I  beg  of  you,  Senor,  give  them  back  to  me," 
besought  the  courier ;  "  they  are  of  no  service  to 
you  —  they  are  written  in  cypher." 

"  They  are  all  the  more  important  for  that." 
The  highwayman  thrust  the  documents  in  his  shirt. 
"  But  wait,"  said  he,  "  I  may  yet  save  your  neck 
for  you.  Take  this  dirk."  He  offered  Facundo 
a  knife,  the  hilt  of  which  was  gold  and  set  with 
gems.  "  I  borrowed  it  of  Castro  myself.  Present 
it  to  him  and  say  that  the  man  who  waylaid  you 
took  the  occasion  to  return  his  toy.  He  will  know 
then  for  a  certainty  that  it  was  no  fault  of  yours 
that  you  were  so  —  eh  —  compromised  tonight." 

"  The  Mother  of  God  bless  you,"  exclaimed  the 
Mexican. 

"  A  safe  journey  to  you,  Sefior,"  returned  the 
other,  making  way  for  the  courier. 

"  Pardon,  Excellency,"  ventured  Facundo ; 
"  what  —  what  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Captain  Courtesy  !  " 
16 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Diablo!  " 

So  startled  was  the  Mexican  that  he  jerked  sud 
denly  upon  the  rein,  and  his  horse,  unaccustomed 
to  such  usage,  reared  and  then  stampeded  down 
the  trail. 

He  who  called  himself  Captain  Courtesy  smiled 
as  he  sat  listening  to  the  rapid,  receding  tread  of 
unshod  hoofs,  a  sound  which  now  came  to  his  ears 
like  the  distant,  irregular  beat  of  a  drum.  The 
surprise  and  panic  which  the  captain's  name  in 
spired,  were  a  source  of  both  amusement  and  satis 
faction  to  him.  The  discomfiture  of  a  Mexican, 
even  of  one  so  humble  as  Facundo,  was  balm  to  a 
heart  long  tortured  with  a  lust  for  vengeance.  On 
the  highway  he  wreaked  it,  and  there  was  not  a 
man  of  the  courier's  nationality  throughout  Cali 
fornia,  from  the  year  1840  to  1847,  who  did  not 
hate  and  fear  Captain  Courtesy. 

His  father,  Hugh  Davis,  was  one  of  those  rug 
ged,  iron-nerved  pioneers  of  the  thirties,  who  emi- 

17 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


grated  from  the  States  with  his  wife  —  a  dainty 
Castilian,  daughter  of  a  secretary  in  the  Spanish 
legation  at  the  Capital  —  and  his  child,  and  settled 
in  California  near  San  Pedro.  There  he  prospered, 
reckoning  his  wealth  in  immense  droves  of  cattle 
and  rich  orange-groves ;  living  at  peace  with  his 
countrymen  who,  like  him,  had  come  to  make  homes 
in  that  golden  land;  with  the  Indians  whose  birth 
place  it  was ;  and  with  the  Mexicans  who  ruled  the 
territory. 

The  son,  Leonard,  or  Leonardo,  as  his  mother 
called  him  after  the  Spanish  fashion,  was  brought 
up  to  manage  the  ranches.  His  father  was  the 
comrade  of  his  days  —  long  delicious  days,  men's 
days  —  spent  in  the  saddle  in  the  sunshine  and  the 
rain,  the  good  red  blood  of  youth  pulsing  with  the 
very  joy  of  life's  battle.  When  night  came,  these 
comrades  made  a  shrine  of  the  ranch  house  hearth 
and  in  intimate  communion  drew  from  her  —  who 
was  to  them  divinity  and  wife,  sweetheart  and 

18 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


mother  —  that  dear  knowledge,  bred  of  woman's 
tenderness,  which  makes  the  heart  of  man  grow 
stronger. 

Life  and  nature,  God  and  mankind,  appeared 
to  Leonardo  as  one  beneficent  personality,  admin 
istering  a  reign  of  peace  and  plenty.  So  secure 
was  his  faith  in  this  generous  and  protecting  sym 
bol,  that  he  laughed  when  first  his  father  reported 
rumors  that  the  Mexican  government,  heated  to 
madness  by  jealousy  and  avarice,  had  determined 
upon  the  expulsion  of  Americans  from  California. 
Leonardo  would  not  credit  it,  even  when  word  came 
that  General  Castro  was  ordering  men  under  arms 
for  the  avowed  purpose  of  destroying  the  crops, 
burning  the  ranches,  and  killing  those  settlers  from 
the  States  who  might  resist  his  raiding  regiments. 
It  was  beyond  the  youth's  comprehension  that  man 
could  be  BO  malevolent. 

But  his  father  felt  less  secure.  He  knew  how 
the  Mexican  government  wasted  the  Franciscan 
19 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


missions  through  secularization ;  how  Alvarado,  the 
governor,  distributed  the  wealth  of  the  friars 
among  his  friends.  He  understood  the  Mexican 
character  of  those  days,  a  character  primarily  of 
rascality  and  greed;  and  he  fancied  that  the  set 
tlers  from  the  United  States  might  well  expect  a 
treatment  even  more  despicable  than  that  vouch 
safed  the  missionaries.  While  he  kept  these  fears 
to  himself,  like  many  another  American,  who  had 
made  his  home  in  California,  he  began  to  consider 
the  necessity  of  armed  resistance. 

Yet  all  these  misgivings  were  slow  to  stimulate 
action.  Success  had  bred  security.  Those  pio 
neers,  living  in  a  golden  age,  had  eaten  of  the 
lotus,  and  warnings  of  calamity  seemed  to  them 
only  as  rude,  unreal  whisperings  disturbing  the 
cloistered  peacefulness  of  their  dreams. 

When  Castro's  raiders  came,  they  came  with 
swift  stealth,  striking  without  warning,  like  night 
squalls  at  sea,  leaving  a  wake  of  destruction,  and 
20 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


fleeing  as  though  they  feared  the  dawn's  discovery. 

Leonardo  had  ridden  to  Pasadena  to  sell  sheep, 
and  was  therefore  many  miles  away  when  a  Mexi 
can  regiment,  under  the  command  of  a  renegade 
American,  devastated  his  father's  ranches.  He 
returned  at  dusk.  He  had  no  premonition  of  what 
awaited  him,  only  as  he  drew  near  the  hacienda, 
he  was  struck  with  the  stillness  of  the  place,  a 
stillness  profound,  unnatural,  ominous.  He 
paused  adread,  scanning  the  house  from  veranda 
to  shingled  gable,  from  wing  to  corral.  Then  all 
his  blood  seemed  to  rush  into  his  heart.  He  grew 
cold  to  the  elbows.  He  was  staring  at  the  door- 
sill,  across  which  lay  the  figure  of  a  man,  scarcely 
visible  in  the  descending  gloom. 

His  horse  shivered.  He  dismounted,  advanced 
toward  the  door,  and  stopped.  Beyond  the  figure 
on  the  sill,  but  within  reach  of  it,  lay  another. 
He  clutched  at  a  veranda  pillar  and  for  a  long 
time  leaned  heavily  against  it,  almost  without  a 
21 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


thought.  It  were  as  though  his  reason  had  suf 
fered  an  eclipse.  Presently  the  moon,  mounting 
over  a  hillside  of  chaparral,  flung  its  beam  across 
the  doorway,  lighting  the  rigid  forms  with  terrible 
distinctness. 

Leonardo  stirred.  A  cry,  which  at  the  same 
time  was  a  sob,  came  from  his  heart.  A  woman's 
arm  outstretched,  a  man's  fingers  clasping  hers  — 
so  they  had  died.  There  were  bullet  marks  on  the 
door- jamb,  blood  stains  upon  the  floor.  The  testi 
mony  of  the  deed  was  there.  The  youth  read  it. 
They  had  probably  been  at  supper.  Someone 
called  from  without.  The  husband  opened  the 
door.  He  was  greeted  with  a  shot.  He  stag 
gered,  his  wounded  hand  grasping  at  the  door 
frame.  His  wife  ran  to  him.  There  came  a  vol 
ley.  They  fell.  This  had  happened  the  night 
before. 

Leonardo  buried  them,  their  fingers  still  en 
twined,  under  a  great  redwood.  Dawn  surprised 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


him  there.  Its  cold  light  disclosed  a  scene  of  deso 
lation  and  explained  the  quiet  of  the  place.  The 
fences  were  destroyed,  crops  and  buildings  burned. 
Only  the  ranch  house  remained  unscathed  —  the 
dead  had  guarded  their  hearth. 

"  Vengeance ! "  At  first  it  was  as  a  whisper 
from  afar  which  he  scarcely  heard.  "  Ven 
geance  !  "  It  was  a  call  as  from  across  the  orchard 
drawing  nearer.  "  Vengeance !  "  It  was  a  cry 
as  from  the  house  close  by.  "  Vengeance ! "  It 
was  a  command  as  from  the  grave  at  his  feet.  He 
obeyed  it. 

All  that  morning  he  rode  the  trail  of  the  raiders 
until  it  was  lost  on  the  common  highway.  But  as 
he  rode  a  lust  for  vengeance  grew  in  his  heart. 
He  became  crazed  with  it.  What  matter  where  or 
how  he  wreaked  it,  so  long  as  it  might  be  upon 
Mexicans ! 

In  the  afternoon  he  reached  Santa  Ana  and  with 
the  recklessness  of  impassioned  youth  —  he  was 
23 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


but  twenty  then  —  galloped  up  to  the  presidio 
where  a  Mexican  regiment  was  quartered.  The 
soldiers,  taking  their  siestas  in  the  shade  of  the 
patio  walls,  looked  up  in  lazy  wonder  at  the  wild- 
eyed  rider  and  his  lathered  horse.  He  called  for 
their  colonel.  The  officer  showed  himself  at  the 
doorway. 

"  You  killed  my  father  —  my  mother  —  on 
their  threshold  —  as  you  stand  now !  "  It  was  the 
voice  of  vengeance  crying  from  the  heart  of  Leo 
nardo.  Mechanically  he  threw  up  his  gun  and 
fired.  The  man  flung  out  his  hand  in  protest,  as 
the  ball  crashed  through  his  shoulder.  He  tottered 
and  dropped  across  the  door-sill. 

Shot  upon  shot  echoed  in  the  courtyard.  Leo 
nardo's  horse  fell,  holding  him  prisoner.  In  this 
predicament,  he  was  easily  overpowered.  The 
Mexicans  put  him  in  the  guard-house.  That 
night  he  effected  his  escape.  The  next  day  Gen 
eral  Castro  set  a  price  upon  his  head.  Branded 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


an  outlaw,  he  became  one,  and  was  soon  regarded 
as  the  scourge  of  the  highways. 

He  took  a  savage  delight  in  waylaying  Mexi 
cans.  But,  at  the  same  time,  an  innate  chivalry, 
even  upon  the  highway,  asserted  itself.  His  rob 
beries  were  ceremonies,  conducted  with  whimsy, 
with  diabolical  politeness.  His  formula  was  not, 
"  Your  money  or  your  life !  " —  he  began  with 
profuse  apologies,  regretting  that  he  should  be 
obliged  to  interrupt  the  journeying  horseman,  and 
concluded  by  stripping  his  victim  of  purse  and 
every  ornament  to  his  very  spurs.  That  he  spared 
his  fellow  countrymen  and  was  gallant  to  all 
women  —  no  matter  what  their  caste  or  nation 
ality  —  won  for  him  the  sobriquet,  Captain  Cour 
tesy. 

When,  early  in  the  year  1846,  the  American  set 
tlers  —  learning  that  without  concentrated  action 
they  could  no  longer  protect  their  homes  against 
Mexican  depredation  —  began  the  organization  of 
25 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


a  revolution,  Captain  Courtesy,  through  agents, 
placed  his  spoil  in  the  hands  of  the  patriot  leaders, 
rejoicing  that  he  might  aid  in  the  overthrow  of  the 
Mexican  government.  And  the  pioneers,  having 
the  intimation  that,  were  they  successful,  the 
United  States  would  annex  the  territory,  took  heart 
and  throughout  California  men  were  answering  the 
call  to  arms. 

This  movement  was  an  inspiration  to  the  cap 
tain.  He  had  warred  alone  and  the  keen  edge  of 
vengeance  was  dulled  by  six  years  of  solitary  ad 
venture  —  and  how  lonely  and  empty  they  had 
been !  —  but  now  he  took  the  road  avidly  and  with 
a  new  purpose.  He  was  the  self-appointed  taxer  of 
the  Mexican  purse  for  the  treasury  of  a  new  Cali 
fornia. 

No  wonder,  then,  that  Facundo,  the  Mexican 
courier,  bereft  of  gold  and  despatches  on  the  Pasa 
dena  trail,  was  terror-stricken  with  the  discovery 
that  it  was  Captain  Courtesy  who  waylaid  him; 
26 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


nor  was  it  strange,  either,  when  his  mustang  bolted, 
that  he  made  no  effort  to  check  her  mad  gait  until 
he  saw  the  lights  of  the  presidio  on  the  outskirts  of 
San  Gabriel. 


"BLACK  SPIRITS  AND  WHITE, 
RED  SPIRITS  AND  GRAY" 


CHAPTER  II 


"  BLACK    SPIRITS    AND   WHITE,   RED   SPIRITS 
AND    GRAY  " 


OLDIERS  and  missionaries  of  Spain  to 
gether  made  conquest  of  California. 
They  that  bore  the  sword  built  the 
presidios,  they  that  carried  the  cross  established 
the  missions.  The  first  was  for  defense  against 
the  Indians,  the  second  for  their  salvation. 

The  presidio  toward  which  Facundo,  the  courier, 
hastened,  was  at  once  fortress,  barracks,  and  store 
house.  Its  thick  adobe  walls,  now  white  in  the 
moonlight,  stood  as  high  as  the  dwellings,  ware 
houses,  and  chapel,  which  they  protected.  Bronze 
cannon,  "  creators  of  thunder,"  as  the  Indians 
called  them,  commanded  its  four  corners.  Huge, 
heavy-timbered  gates,  wearing  the  scars  of  many  a 
siege,  protected  the  entrances.  Fancy  a  walled 
31 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


town,  done  in  miniature,  and  you  have  the  presidio. 

It  was  garrisoned  by  a  regiment,  ostensibly  un 
der  the  command  of  a  young  Mexican,  Lieutenant 
Jocoso,  but  in  reality  under  the  orders  of  a  rene 
gade  American,  George  Granville,  who,  while  hold 
ing  a  secret  commission  as  colonel  in  the  Mexican 
army,  affected  a  keen  sympathy  with  the  revo 
lution  of  his  countrymen.  He  occupied  a  hacienda 
on  the  edge  of  the  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  Arcan- 
gel,  which  was  under  the  immediate  rule  of  the 
presidio  commandant. 

As  Facundo,  his  mare  winded,  himself  hatless 
and  yellow  with  dust,  drew  up  at  the  north  presidio 
gate,  he  met  Padre  Reinaldo,  priest  at  the  San 
Gabriel  mission.  The  good  father,  scenting  news, 
inquired  the  cause  of  the  courier's  haste.  Facundo, 
stopping  out  of  respect,  briefly  recounted  his  ad 
venture,  and  hurried  into  the  patio,  while  the  padre 
turned  toward  San  Gabriel,  laughing  softly  as  he 
went.  From  which  it  might  be  inferred  that  he 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


did  not  altogether  disapprove  of  Captain  Courtesy. 
In  truth,  the  padre  himself  was  a  revolutionist, 
for  in  the  Americans,  a  new  people,  he  saw  the 
liberators  of  California. 

His  sympathy  in  their  brave  endeavor  was  born 
of  the  attitude  of  the  government  toward  the 
Church.  The  missions  had  been  under  the  control 
of  a  father  president,  responsible  for  his  rule  to 
his  superiors  in  the  College  of  San  Fernando  in 
the  City  of  Mexico ;  but  the  government  secularized 
them  —  placed  their  administration  in  the  hands 
of  unprincipled  men  who  grew  rich  by  despoiling 
them  of  lands,  crops,  and  cattle,  leaving  the  padres 
—  the  weavers  of  prosperity  —  but  as  mayordo- 
mos  of  wasted  and  decaying  estates. 

The  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  Arcangel,  whither 
Padre  Reinaldo  now  directed  his  steps,  was  for 
merly  the  wealthiest  in  California,  but  under  secu 
larization  it  became  one  of  the  poorest.  It  lay 
about  a  mile  below  the  presidio  on  a  rivulet  in  a 
33 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


valley  which  once  was  rich  with  gardens  of  sweet- 
scented  flowers ;  orchards  of  pears,  apples,  oranges, 
and  pomegranates;  vineyards  and  golden  grain- 
fields  —  gridironed  with  irrigating  ditches,  their 
banks  fringed  with  oak,  sycamore,  and  elder  trees ; 
pastures  grazed  by  great  herds  of  sheep  and  cattle ; 
and  peopled  with  neophytes  —  Indians  redeemed 
from  savagery  by  the  friars  and  taught  to  be  hus 
bandmen,  herdsmen,  craftsmen,  millers,  weavers, 
and  saddlers  —  their  adobe  dwellings,  shops,  mills, 
and  corral  sheds,  glowing  from  out  the  green  of  the 
garden  like  amber  under  the  noonday  sun. 

A  great  cactus  hedge  encircled  this  paradise  and 
encompassed  the  church  —  a  huge,  oblong  struc 
ture  with  tiled  roof  and  severe  walls,  from  which 
the  weather  had  stripped  bits  of  its  cement  coating, 
showing  stone  and  brick  beneath  in  colorful 
patches.  The  mission  looked  more  like  a  fortress 
than  a  sanctuary.  High  buttresses  broke  the 
monotony  of  the  walls  at  regular  intervals,  their 
34 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


pointed  caps  rising  almost  flush  with  the  tower, 
which  was  a  sort  of  pyramid,  perforated  with  odd- 
sized  arches  wherein  swung  the  mission  bells. 
Nestled  against  the  tower,  as  though  it  sought  pro 
tection,  was  the  priest's  house,  a  low,  simple  domi 
cile  of  white  plaster  with  deep  shingled  roof,  its 
veranda  a  wealth  of  rose  vines  and  adventurous 
verbena. 

A  eucalyptus-shaded  walk  led  one  to  the  little 
graveyard  back  of  the  church,  and  along  this 
Padre  Reinaldo  now  made  his  way.  He  stopped  at 
the  protecting  fence,  prayed  there  in  silence  for 
a  moment,  and  then  looked  over  the  old,  moonlit 
domain  of  San  Gabriel,  itself  almost  become  a 
cemetery. 

Where  were  the  one-time  prodigal  harvests  of 
fruit  and  grain,  the  great  lowing  herds  which 
crowded  the  corrals,  the  folds  with  sheep  ready  for 
the  shearing,  the  happy,  toiling  neophyte  bands? 
Gone!  And  only  their  phantoms  lingered  in  the 
35 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


valley  for  one,  who,  like  the  old  padre,  upon  such 
a  moonlit  night,  saw  them  dimly  through  a  veil  of 
tears. 

The  fields  were  growing  riotous  with  mustard- 
seed,  the  water-ways  dry,  the  orchards  withering, 
the  stock  depleted  to  a  meagre  herd,  the  'dobe  mills 
and  shops  and  dwellings  falling  into  ruins,  and  a 
handful  of  Indians  where  a  thousand  once  mus 
tered  :  this  was  the  pass  to  which  San  Gabriel  had 
come. 

"  But  I  shall  die  happy,"  mused  the  courageous 
old  priest,  "  for  this  righteous  revolution  will  suc 
ceed,  the  Americans  will  drive  the  despoilers  from 
the  land,  restore  the  Church  her  rights  and  San 
Gabriel  will  bloom  again." 

Even  as  he  stood  there  pondering,  the  belliger 
ency  of  Mexican  and  American  usurped  the  peace 
of  the  mission.  Lieutenant  Jocoso,  commanding 
the  regiment  at  the  presidio,  had  come  —  as  was 
his  custom  of  an  evening  —  to  woo  Viviena  Mar- 
36 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


shall,  and  stayed  to  quarrel  with  her.  She  was  a 
young  American  woman,  mercifully  widowed  while 
yet  in  her  teens  and  left  penniless  at  a  little  pueblo 
near  San  Gahriel.  She  found,  however,  a  friend 
and  protector  in  Padre  Reinaldo,  and  by  his  grace 
lived  in  one  of  the  abandoned  neophyte  quarters 
close  by  the  church,  and  performed  the  functions 
of  mayordomo  at  San  Gabriel,  managing,  with 
thrift  and  authority,  what  little  business  they  were 
still  able  to  maintain.  But  more  than  this  she  was 
the  adored  companion  of  Eleanor  Brinton,  the 
padre's  ward,  a  girl  of  twenty,  who,  when  a  child, 
had  lost  her  parents  in  a  Mexican  raid. 

In  spite  of  this  she  was  friendly  to  Jocoso,  who 
was  naive  and  chivalrous  by  nature  and,  so  far  as 
lay  in  his  power,  protected  San  Gabriel  from  depre 
dation.  His  position  at  the  presidio  brought  him 
in  intimate  relation  with  the  life  at  the  mission, 
where  he  was  welcomed  by  Eleanor  and  the  padre 
and  plagued  by  Viviena,  who  encouraged  him  one 
37 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


day  and  dismissed  him  the  next.  Although  he 
took  his  rebuffs  much  to  heart,  he  was  a  persistent 
wooer,  knowing  no  such  word  as  failure. 

That  very  night  upon  which  Captain  Courtesy 
waylaid  the  Mexican  courier,  Jocoso  sulked  in  a 
great  oak  chair  within  the  mission.  Handsome, 
of  medium  height,  trim  and  soldierly,  he  carried 
with  distinction  a  resplendent  uniform  consisting 
of  a  full-dress  coat  of  dark  blue  cloth  with  scarlet 
facings  and  gold  epaulettes,  a  waist-coat  of  lighter 
blue  and  pantaloons  of  the  same  shade  ornamented 
with  gold  lace  piping  down  the  seams.  A  scarlet 
sash  covered  his  sword  belt.  His  tall  chaco,  with 
pompon  of  green,  white,  and  red,  lay  upon  the 
floor  beside  him. 

Now  and  again  he  would  rumple  up  his  long 
black  hair  in  agitation  and  glance  surreptitiously 
over  his  shoulder  at  Viviena,  who,  having  turned 
her  back  upon  him,  affected  a  deep  interest  in  the 
play  of  flames  in  the  fireplace. 
38 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Save  for  a  solitary  candle,  burning  on  the  heavy 
oak  table  at  the  widow's  elbow,  the  only  illumina 
tion  was  that  kindled  by  the  blazing  logs.  When 
the  flames  leaped  with  a  draught,  the  light  flung 
across  the  floor  of  baked  brick  tiles,  routed  the 
shadows  for  a  moment  and  revealed  the  plastered 
walls,  hung  with  pictures  of  saints ;  the  windows  set 
with  leaded  glass ;  and  the  ponderous  oak  doors  or 
namented  with  wrought  iron  hinge,  latch,  and  bar. 

This  picturesque  environment,  however,  was  lost 
upon  the  lieutenant.  His  thoughts  were  only  for 
that  strange  beauty  of  the  north,  with  golden  yel 
low  hair,  like  the  poppy  of  his  native  land,  and 
blue  eyes  of  a  tint  familiar  in  his  southern  heaven. 

He  turned  in  his  chair,  straddling  it.  Though 
his  sword  clanked  as  he  manoeuvred,  Viviena  paid 
no  heed  to  him.  She  sat  complacently,  fully 
aware  that  her  semi-Spanish  toilette  of  black  lace 
—  unrelieved  save  for  a  bit  of  verbena  coquettishly 
fastened  at  her  shoulder  —  would  subdue  him. 
39 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Eh  —  Senora !  "  he  finally  ventured ;  "  Senora 
Marshallo,  I  much  like  to  make  up  peace  with  you. 
Say,  you  tell  me  what  meaning  is  of  ugly  name 
you  make  for  me.  I  get  angry  only  at  him."  He 
waited  for  a  reply.  The  widow,  however,  remain 
ed  silent,  so  he  went  on  pleasantly :  "  '  Bully,'  you 
say.  What  that  is?" 

Viviena  examined  him  impudently,  through  half- 
closed  lids,  and  rejoined,  "  It  characterizes  you  — 
all  Mexicans.  It  means  that  you  are  brutes,  ty 
rants.  Do  you  understand  that?  " 

Jocoso  took  this  amiably.  In  fact,  he  smiled 
as  he  nodded.  "  Si,  si,  Senora!  Gracias!  "  He 
paused,  trying  to  think  in  English,  then  added, 
"  Americanos  not  bully  ?  " 

The  widow  regarded  this  question  as  an  insult. 
"  No,"  she  returned  hotly ;  "  we  do  not  make  war 
for  the  sake  of  'conquest  — •  we  are  fighting  for  our 
homes ;  for  the  independence  of  California." 

This  brought  Jocoso  to  his  feet.  He  was  hunt- 
40 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ing  for  a  suitable  retort.  What  he  finally  said 
was,  "  You  Americanos  make  big  words." 

"  We  do  more  than  that,"  the  widow  threatened 
across  the  table;  "  just  you  wait  until  our  riflemen 
are  backed  by  the  United  States  troops  under  Fre 
mont  and  Kearny;  we'll  make  it  so  hot  for  you 
that  you'll  be  glad  to  get  back  to  Mexico  to  cool 
off." 

Jocoso  twirled  his  moustache,  rolled  his  eyes,  and 
smiling  in  what  he  considered  his  most  fascinating 
way,  murmured,  "  I  not  like  go  back  accounth  you 
not  there." 

"  So  you  stay  here  with  a  regiment  and  keep 
San  Gabriel  under  surveillance." 

The  lieutenant  was  proof  against  her  sarcasm. 
"  Hah,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  my  orders,  I  cannot  help 
—  only  glad  —  so  long  they  keep  me  by  you  some 
time." 

The  widow  curtsied  to  him.  "  Thank  you,"  she 
mocked,  "  but  I  should  like  you  better  without  your 
41 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


regiment.     I  mean  —  I  should  like  your  regiment 
without  you." 

"  Perhaps,  Senora,  it  is  true  you  wish  me  not 
here  ?  "  He  leaned  across  the  table  toward  her, 
his  black  eyes  studying  her  cunningly.  "  Si,  si, 
becows  Padre  Reinaldo,  and  Senorita  Brinton,  and 
you  make  beezness  of  send  money,  also  secret  des 
patches  to  Americano  rebels  ?  " 

"  You  are  very  much  mistaken,"  declared  Vi- 
viena,  too  hotly  to  be  convincing. 

Jocoso  laughed.  "  No  matter.  I  can  be  blind 
when  I  no  wish  to  see.  I  make  proof  to  you  I  am 
that  bully  not.  I  shall  — " 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  knock  at  the  door, 
which  the  widow  answered,  admitting  a  tall  Ameri 
can,  whose  age  might  have  been  guessed  as  thirty- 
five. 

"  Buenas  noches,  Senor  Granville,"  greeted 
Viviena,  "  Eleanor  is  about  somewhere.  I'll  tell 
her  you're  here." 

42 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Thanks,  but  you  need  not  bother,"  he  pro 
tested,  scowling  at  the  grinning  Jocoso. 

"  It's  no  trouble,"  insisted  the  widow  and,  with 
a  word  of  excuse,  she  left  the  men  to  themselves. 

Granville  paused,  in  the  ceremony  of  dusting  his 
sober  corduroys  with  his  black  sombrero,  to  ask 
Jocoso  what  in  the  devil  he  was  doing  in  San 
Gabriel. 

"  I  come  accounth  I  please,  Senor  Busybody," 
retorted  the  lieutenant  with  impudence. 

"  Rather  odd  for  a  Mexican  officer  to  be  dan 
gling  about  a  revolutionary  hot-bed,"  commented 
Granville,  taking  possession  of  the  chair  by  the 
fireplace. 

"  My  orders  do  not  make  conflict  with  my  dis 
cretion." 

"  Orders ! "  echoed  the  American  sarcastically, 
running  his  fingers  through  his  long  black  hair; 
"  you'll  be  taking  them  from  the  widow." 

Jocoso  snapped  his  teeth.  "  She  order  my 
43 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


heart,  si!  I  got  no  modesty  'bout  him.  She 
know  me  —  Mexicano !  "  He  slapped  his  scarlet 
covered  breast  by  way  of  emphasis,  and  added, 
"  But  you,  with  Mexicano  back  and  Americano 
front  —  a  e-spy !  " 

"  Here,  here,"  interposed  the  other  quietly, 
"  don't  crowd  me.  I'll  have  that  uniform  stripped 
off  your  back  before  you  can  twist  your  mous 
tache." 

"You  think  I  'fraid?"  bristled  the  Mexican. 
"  Well,  maybe,  great  pleasure  you  do  that." 

"  Anyway,  for  the  time,  you  take  orders  from 
me." 

"  I  hear  that  before,  Senor  Colonel." 

Granville's  small  gray  eyes  flashed,  his  thin  lip 
quivered  under  the  drooping  moustache,  he  rose 
abruptly  and  faced  Jocoso.  "  I've  told  you  to 
drop  the  '  Colonel '  here,"  said  he  with  unexpected 
control.  "  It's  enough  for  you  to  know  that  I 
hold  a  commission  in  the  Mexican  army." 
44 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


The  lieutenant  looked  contemptuously  at  his  su 
perior  officer  and  sniffed,  "  Who's  'fraid  now?  " 

Far  from  taking  any  offense  at  this,  Granville 
laughed,  for  sometimes  Jocoso  amused  him.  "  It's 
a  matter  of  discretion,"  he  explained. 

"  Sham !  That  is  what !  Ah,  make  me  sick : 
my  commission,  General  Castro,  you,  whole  beez- 
ness  —  all  —  sham !  "  The  Mexican  hurled  this 
in  the  American's  face.  "  And  you  —  greatest 
sham  of  all.  You  come  here,  you  say,  '  My  Ameri 
cano  heart  for  little  Sefiorita  Eleanor ! '  You  go 
to  Mexicano  General  Castro,  you  say,  '  My  heart 
with  Mexicanos,  I  help  chase  Americanos  away  for 
the  reward  of  many  ranches ;  I  e-spy,  tell  all 
Americanos  do.  Give  me  Jocoso  and  regiment ! ' 
Si,  Si!  You  like  pup-dog  what  bit  his  own  mother. 
Impio!  " 

Granville  listened  as  though  it  were  an  old  story 
to  him.  "  Well,  why  don't  you  betray  me  here  ?  " 
he  inquired. 

45 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Then  I  be  that  same  pup  as  you.  Car  a  jo! 
I  soldado  —  have  order.  I  obey  so  long  I  can. 
But  you  leave  my  personality  alone.  I  loaf  make 
where  I  please  myself." 

Granville  gathered  up  the  tails  of  his  long  frock 
coat,  sat  down,  stretched  out  his  lanky  figure, 
crossed  his  boots,  half  squinted  through  his  gray 
eyes,  and  smiled  languidly  at  Jocoso.  For  a  time 
the  silence  was  broken  only  by  the  clank  of  the 
Mexican's  sword  and  the  jingle  of  his  spurs,  as  he 
paced  the  tiles  impatiently.  The  American  had  no 
fear  that  Jocoso  would  betray  him,  knowing  that 
obedience  to  military  command  was  a  sort  of  re 
ligion  to  the  young  officer. 

Granville's  secret  commission  as  Jocoso's  colonel 
enabled  him  to  rule  at  the  presidio  and  at  the 
same  time  to  profess  a  common  interest  with  his 
countrymen  in  the  cause  of  the  revolution.  He 
took  care  to  establish  a  friendly  relationship  with 
the  padre,  since  he  entertained  a  passion  for  El- 
46 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


eanor  Brinton.  It  was  Granville's  purpose,  once 
he  had  won  her,  to  exact  from  the  Mexican  gov 
ernment  allotment  of  certain  acres  of  the  mission 
estate,  which  adjoined  his  own  ranch,  as  payment 
for  services  rendered  in  raids  against  certain  set 
tlements  some  years  before,  and  for  information, 
now  daily  furnished,  regarding  the  revolutionary 
movement.  His  business  at  the  mission,  therefore, 
was  of  a  manifold  nature.  He  came  both  as  a 
spy  and  as  a  wrooer. 

It  was  the  lover  who  was  annoyed  by  the  presence 
of  Jocoso.  He  presently  tilted  up  a  sharp,  in 
quisitive  nose,  stroked  his  drooping  moustache,  and 
inquired  with  a  drawl,  "  How  soon  are  you  going, 
Jocoso?" 

"  I  stay  a  long  time  yet.  You  want  to  loaf 
make  to  Senorita  Eleanor  —  deceive  her !  "  Jo 
coso  paused  by  the  renegade's  chair.  "  Accounth 
that  I  hate  complexion  of  you."  He  spat  on  the 
floor  to  show  his  contempt. 
47 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Virtue  isn't  a  matter  of  complexion,"  drawled 
the  other. 

"  No,"  retorted  Jocoso,  "  it  is  a  matter  of  soul. 
You  have  no  got  him." 

The  door  through  which  the  widow  had  re 
treated,  was  now  opened  and  a  woman  paused  upon 
the  threshold,  bearing  high  a  candle.  Its  rays  fell 
obliquely  upon  her  forehead.  To  the  lieutenant, 
who  regarded  her  as  a  being  little  less  than  spirit 
ual,  the  light  appeared  to  encircle  her  dark  hair 
with  a  halo ;  but  to  Granville,  who  looked  upon  her 
with  the  primitive  longing  of  man  for  mate,  the 
light  struck  upon  the  rose,  set  above  her  brow,  as  a 
challenge  to  love. 

In  contrast  to  the  widow,  who  stood  at  her  shoul 
der,  Eleanor  Brinton  indeed  seemed  almost  ethe 
real,  just  as  a  rose  might  look  a  saint  beside  a 
flaming  poppy;  but  the  close  observer  would  not 
have  failed  to  perceive  that,  despite  her  serenity  of 
feature  and  manner,  the  ward  of  the  old  padre  of 
48 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


San  Gabriel  entertained  an  ardent  disposition  that 
might  no  more  be  commanded  than  the  flushes  of 
her  cheeks. 

She  was  quick  to  comprehend  the  belligerent 
attitude  of  the  guests  and,  advancing  into  the 
room,  exclaimed,  "  War  in  miniature !  Peace, 
Senors !  You  know  San  Gabriel  is  neutral 
ground." 

Granville  arose  hastily.  "  Permit  me,  Eleanor," 
said  he,  relieving  her  of  the  candle  and  offering 
her  a  chair ;  while  Jocoso,  bowing  with  extravagant 
ceremony,  murmured,  "  Muchas  excusas,  Senor- 
ita!" 

Eleanor  looked  from  one  to  the  other,  threaten 
ing  them  humorously.  "  Come  now,"  she  resumed, 
"  what  is  the  quarrel?  Confess!  " 

"  Only  a  matter  of  souls,  amiguita  mia,"  an 
swered  the  Mexican. 

"  He  means  boot-leather,"  put  in  Viviena,  who 
had  possessed  herself  of  Granville's  seat  by  the 
49 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


hearth ;  "  that's  the  only  sort  of  souls  that  come 
out  of  Mexico." 

"  I  think  better  of  you  than  that,  Senor,"  cham 
pioned  Eleanor,  turning  to  a  window,  whither 
Granville  followed  her. 

Jocoso,  without  encouragement,  drew  a  stool 
close  to  the  widow  and  essayed  a  confidential  tirade 
on  the  subject  of  souls.  At  the  same  time,  Gran 
ville,  with  elephantine  dexterity,  sought  to  possess 
himself  of  the  rose,  which  was  Eleanor's  ornament. 

"  No,  no,"  she  objected,  laughing  and  holding 
him  off;  "  it  looks  very  well  where  it  is! " 

"  Yes,"  growled  he,  "  but  you  might !  " 

"  What  are  you  two  making  such  a  rumpus 
about  ?  "  inquired  Viviena. 

Granville,  with  an  injured  air,  replied,  "  I  ask 
for  a  rose  and  she  — " 

"  Laughs !  Hah,  hah !  "  interjected  Jocoso  with 
malice,  "  She  keep  la  rosa  for  some  other  sefior." 


:THE  PAGE  OF  DESTINY3 


CHAPTER  III 


"  THE    PAGE    OF    DESTINY  " 


|S  the  Padre  Reinaldo  trended  his  way 
through  the  San  Gabriel  garden,  which 
was  heavy  with  the  scent  of  roses  and 
flowered  musk,  he  heard  laughter  and  surmised  that 
Jocoso  was  within  the  mission.  The  priest  smiled 
at  the  thought  and,  hastily  crossing  the  veranda, 
pushed  open  the  door. 

"  Have  you  heard,"  he  asked,  without  preface, 
addressing  himself  no  more  to  one  than  to  the  oth 
ers  ;  "  that  there's  been  a  highway  robbery  ?  " 

"  Any  one  hurt  ?  "  inquired  Eleanor,  leading  the 
padre  to  a  seat  by  the  window. 

The  old  man  took  his  ward's  hand  and  drew  her 
close  to  him,  saying,  "  No,  no,  my  dear,  it  was 
most  politely  done !  " 

53 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Then  it  must  have  been  the  work  of  Captain 
Courtesy,"  she  exclaimed. 

The  priest  complimented  her  sagacity  and,  in 
reply  to  a  question  from  Granville,  informed  him 
that  the  victim  of  the  road-agent  was  a  Mexican 
courier  on  his  way  to  Castro  with  gold  and  des 
patches. 

At  that  Jocoso  started  up  from  his  seat,  like  a 
jack-in-the-box,  exclaiming,  "H-a-a-h!" 

"  There's  work  for  you,  Jocoso,"  remarked  Gran 
ville.  Whereupon,  the  widow  laughed  mockingly. 
Jocoso  turned  upon  her  in  anger. 

"  Mucho  amuse  you !  "  he  cried.  "  El  Capitan 
Cortesia  laugh  also  when  my  regimento  catch  him." 
He  tightened  his  belt  with  a  great  show  of  deter 
mination. 

"  Your  regiment  hasn't  gumption  enough  to 
catch  a  hedgehog,"  returned  Viviena  merrily. 

"Wait!  I  take  him  myself!" 

Granville  patted  the  Mexican  on  the  shoulder. 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  There's  five  thousand  dollars'  reward  for  Cour 
tesy,  dead  or  alive ;  and  I'll  double  it." 

Eleanor  stared  at  the  speaker  in  amazement. 
"  Why,  George  —  what  makes  you  so  anxious  ?  " 
she  gasped. 

"  He's  a  road-agent ;  an  outlaw ;  he  fears  noth 
ing  ;  respects  no  one !  " 

"  But  women !  "  put  in  the  padre. 

"  And  Americans,"  added  the  widow. 

Granville  laughed  at  this  and  said,  "  Yes,  I've 
heard  that  he  robs  no  one  but  Mexicans." 

"  And  I  believe  that  is  true,"  added  the  old  man. 
He  arose,  as  he  spoke,  and,  going  to  the  cupboard 
over  the  fireplace,  began  collecting  paper,  ink  and 
quills.  This  was  a  sign  which  Viviena  respected 
and  hastened  to  go. 

"  I  must  be  up  early  tomorrow ;  we're  making 
wine,"  said  she,  as  she  kissed  Eleanor. 

"  Buena$  noches,  my  little  ranchera,"  called  the 
padre  over  his  shoulder. 

55 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  I  go  to  catch  el  Capitan  Cortesia,"  boasted 
Jocoso.  Then,  offering  his  arm  to  Viviena  he  in 
quired,  "  Also  possibly  I  have  the  pleasure  to  con 
duct  you,  Senora,  across  the  garden  ?  "  She  ac 
cepted  his  arm  and  they  went  out  together. 

Granville  lingered  with  the  hope  of  another 
word  with  Eleanor,  who  was  now  engaged  in  mak 
ing  the  padre  a  quill.  The  priest,  observing  him, 
returned  to  the  subject  of  the  highwayman  and  sug 
gested  that  he  was  ready  to  believe  that  Courtesy 
was  most  generous. 

"  He  can  afford  to  be,"  retorted  the  American, 
"  with  other  folk's  money." 

The  old  man  tested  the  point  on  his  thumbnail. 
"  I  understand  that  all  he  takes  from  the  Mexican 
purse  he  gives  to  the  aid  of  California  arms." 

"  A  patriot  road-agent !  "  Granville  was  sar 
castic. 

Eleanor  shook  her  head,  and  remarked,  "  I  can 
scarcely  credit  it.  He  is  a  highwayman  by  trade." 
56 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Then,  after  a  pause,  she  added,  "  I  wonder  what 
he's  like!" 

"I  met  him  once,"  announced  Granville  and, 
amused  at  the  sensation  this  statement  provoked, 
he  went  on  to  say :  "  It  was  at  San  Buenaventura 
last  fall  —  the  time  of  the  carnival.  A  dance  was 
in  progress  at  the  alcalde's.  It  was  a  masked 
affair,  so  I  fancy  that  in  mere  bravado  Courtesy 
betrayed  himself.  You  will  wonder  that  he  was 
not  captured;  but  you  might  trust  him  to  plan 
well.  They  all  but  had  him,  when  he  escaped 
through  a  window.  It  was  night.  I  had  just  en 
tered  the  patio  and,  seeing  this  man  spring  from  a 
balcony  above  me,  I  caught  him.  In  the  struggle 
I  tore  off  his  mask.  The  moonlight  shone  directly 
in  his  face.  I  shall  never  forget  it.  That  mo 
ment  I  was  knocked  down.  I  heard  a  whistle,  the 
gallop  of  hoofs  —  he  was  gone."  Granville 
stopped  for  an  instant  and  then  added  impressively, 
"  I  fancy  I  am  the  only  man  in  these  parts  who 
57 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


has  had  the  honor  of  seeing  the  face  of  this  famous 
highwayman,  at  the  same  time  knowing  him  to  be 
Captain  Courtesy.  There  is  nothing  particular  to 
mark  him  from  other  men,  though  I  should  know 
him  among  thousands." 

They  became  silent.  Eleanor  went  to  a  window, 
threw  it  open  and  looked  out  into  the  night.  It 
was  calm  and  cool.  A  light  breeze  fanned  her  face 
with  the  perfume  of  verbena,  roses,  and  musk,  and 
stirred  the  foliage  of  a  great  pepper-tree  over 
which  the  new  moon  peeped  at  her  curiously. 
Granville  took  a  step  toward  her  but  she  turned 
abruptly  from  the  window  and  asked  the  padre  if 
he  knew  where  the  courier  had  been  waylaid. 

"  On  the  Pasadena  road,"  answered  the  old  man. 

With  an  exclamation  of  alarm,  Eleanor  hastened 
into  the  kitchen  and  roused  Gray  Feather,  an  In 
dian  girl,  one  of  the  neophytes  still  remaining  at 
the  mission,  and  asked  her  if  Tim  Burke,  a  protege 
of  the  padre,  had  returned  from  his  journey. 
58 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


The  Indian  girl  shook  her  pretty  head  and  re 
plied,  "  No,  Senor-ita!" 

"  Be  sure  to  let  me  know  the  moment  he  comes," 
admonished  Eleanor. 

"  What  are  you  so  nervous  about  ? "  queried 
Granville,  when  she  had  returned  to  the  window. 

"  It's  Tim,"  she  explained ;  "  I'm  afraid  he  may 
meet  Captain  Courtesy." 

"What  if  he  does?" 

The  padre  was  now  busily  writing  at  the  table. 
Eleanor  went  to  him  and  laid  her  hands  on  his 
shoulders.  "  George  wants  to  know  about  Tim," 
said  she. 

"  Tim,"  echoed  the  old  man ;  "  oh,  there's  no 
harm  in  telling  the  Senor,  since  he  is  one  of  us,  that 
Tim  is  returning  tonight  from  Pasadena  with 
money  collected  there  for  the  purchase  of  arms 
and  ammunition  for  our  riflemen." 

Luckily  for  Granville,  the  appearance  of  Gray 
Feather,  with  the  announcement  that  Tim  was  then 
59 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


stabling  his  horse,  attracted  the  attention  of  Elea 
nor;  otherwise  she  must  have  noted  the  malevolent 
look  which  this  news  brought  to  his  face. 

Tim  Burke  himself,  a  sandy-haired  youth,  em 
ployed  at  the  mission  in  the  capacity  of  general 
utility  man,  followed  hard  upon  the  heels  of  his 
herald.  His  big  sombrero,  leathern- j  acket  and 
trousers  —  the  latter  knotted  with  a  thong  below 
his  knees  —  were  coated  with  dust.  He  strode 
buoyantly  to  the  table  and  set  down  a  pair  of  sad 
dle-bags.  "  Good  evenin',"  he  said,  with  just  the 
scintillation  of  a  brogue. 

"Oh,  Tim,"  cried  Eleanor  with  relief,  "we've 
been  so  worried  about  you ;  what  kept  you  ?  " 

"  No  adventure,  I'm  sure,"  put  in  Granville. 

"  No  adventure,"  exclaimed  the  young  Irishman ; 
"  Hah!  Faith,  an'  what  d'  ye  call  this?  "  He  illus 
trated  the  movement  of  a  rider  jogging  peacefully 
along  the  highway.  "  Then  th'  trail  as  black  as 
th'  divil's  own  face  —  askin'  yer  riverence's  pardon 
60 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


—  then  —  road-agent!"     He  dramatized  a  high 
way  robbery. 

Without  waiting  to  answer  any  one  of  the  ques 
tions,  hurled  at  him  in  surprise  or  trepidation,  Tim 
went  on  in  his  own  way :  "  '  Pardon,  Senor,'  says 
th'  road-agent ;  '  an'  yer  saddle-bags ! '  Well,  ye 
may  know  I  thought  th'  soles  would  drop  off  my 
boots.  Holy  frost!  What  could  th'  likes  o'  me 
do,  with  that  gun  starin'  me  in  th'  eyes,  but  give 
up  th'  saddle-bags?  But  as  I  handed  'em  over,  I 
says: 

"  '  Senor  Road-agent,  if  ye  had  th'  sand  of  a 
galoot,  ye  wouldn't  touch  'em ! ' 

"'Why  not?'  says  he. 

"  '  Because,'  says  I,  '  that  money  's  t'  buy  pow 
der  an'  ball  t'  blow  thim  greasers  off  th'  premises.' 

"  '  Ho,  ho,'  says  he,  laughin'  fit  t'  bust,  <  ye're 
somethin'  of  a  patriot,  yerself ! ' 

"An'    be    01'    Nick  — long    life   to    him  — he 
chucks  th'  bags  back  t'  me. 
61 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  6  They  be  yers,'  says  he, '  an'  here's  a  donation 
t'  boot.' 

"  Then  he  give  me  a  bag  o'  gold  an'  a  package. 
Says  he,  *  I  took  'em  off  th'  Mexican  courier,  me- 
self!  ' " 

"  Castro's  courier? "  ejaculated  the  amazed 
Granville,  while  Eleanor  and  the  padre  gazed  at 
Tim  in  wonderment. 

"  Sure,"  rejoined  the  youth.  "  Says  th'  road- 
agent,  '  They  were  intinded  for  his  Excellency. 
Prisint  thim  t'  th'  Americans  with  th'  compliments 
of  Cap'n  Courtesy ! '  An'  before  I  could  thank 
him,  he  was  off  like  a  thistle." 

"  It's  almost  incredible,"  spoke  up  the  padre. 

"  Here's  th'  proof  of  it,"  laughed  Tim,  ripping 
open  the  saddle  pouches  and  flinging  on  the  table 
three  bags  of  coin  and  a  slim  packet  tied  in  oil-skin. 

Granville  reached  eagerly  for  the  packet,  but  the 
old  man  was  quicker  than  he. 

"  Pardon  me,  Seiior,"  said  he,  examining  the  pa- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


pers.  "  Hum,  a  document  in  cypher,  addressed  to 
Castro.  I  shall  forward  it  tomorrow  to  Dr.  Sem- 
ple  at  Ranchito.  As  a  leader  of  our  revolution,  he 
will  best  know  what  to  do  with  it." 

"  And  this  gold  ?  "  questioned  Granville. 

"  Part  of  it,  at  least,"  said  Eleanor,  "  is  ours." 

"  Seem*  how  Cap'n  Courtesy  give  it  to  us,  Se- 
norita,  it's  all  ours,"  insisted  Tim. 

The  padre  considered  for  a  moment  and  then 
observed,  "  No,  it  is  not ;  but  this  is  war.  We  can 
justly  consider  these  the  spoils."  He  gathered  up 
bags  and  packet  and,  motioning  to  Tim,  went  to 
the  fireplace.  "  Senor  Granville,  can  I  trouble  you 
to  give  Tim  a  lift  with  the  hearthstone?  "  he  asked; 
"  I'll  put  the  bags  and  papers  there  till  morning." 

With  some  little  effort  they  raised  the  stone  and 
concealed  the  gold  and  dispatches  in  ft  crevice  un 
der  it. 

"  There !     They  are  safe,"  observed  the  old  man. 

"  Perfectly  safe,"  added  Granville,  smiling  sig- 
63 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


nificantlj  under  the  screen  of  his  moustache;  and, 
with  a  nod  to  the  padre,  a  low  bow  over  Eleanor's 
hand,  a  glance  of  stealth  at  the  window  and  another 
at  the  hearth,  he  picked  up  his  sombrero  and  bade 
them  good-night. 


"STRAINS  THAT  MIGHT 
CREATE  A  SOUL" 


CHAPTER  IV 


"  STRAINS  THAT  MIGHT  CREATE  A  SOUL  " 


HE  wind  was  rising.  It  blew  open  a 
mission  window.  The  padre  turned 
from  the  door,  where  he  had  just  bidden 
Granville  good-night,  and  fastened  a  bolt  on  the 
casement.  He  stopped  for  an  instant,  looking  out 
at  the  stars,  and  thought  a  prayer  for  the  soul  of 
Captain  Courtesy.  Presently  he  took  a  seat  at  the 
table  and  dipped  his  quill  in  the  ink.  He  dipped 
again  and  again,  without  making  a  mark  on  the 
paper,  after  the  manner  of  one  whose  thoughts  are 
far  from  the  work  in  hand.  He  glanced  over  at 
his  ward,  who  was  seated  idly  at  the  hearth,  staring 
at  the  glowing  embers. 

"  Senor  Granville  seems   to  be   quite   fond   of 
you,"  ventured  the  padre. 
67 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  What?  "  she  asked  absently;  "  oh,  yes,  yes!  " 
"  You  care  less  for  him  than  you  did  ?  " 
"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied  vaguely. 
The  priest  smiled  and  fell  to  thinking  again. 
"  Captain  Courtesy  has  much  that  is  good  in  him," 
he  remarked  after  a  long  silence. 

"  Good?  "  rejoined  Eleanor;  "  you  refer  to  his 
manners  ?  " 

"No  — to  the  man." 
"  Because  he  respects  women,  Padre?  " 
"  In  part,  my  dear,  but  more  that  he  has  cour- 
age." 

"  Is  it  brave  to  waylay  men  at  night  ?  " 
"  I'm  not  upholding  his  methods,  but  you  must 
remember,  Eleanor,  that  long  before  our  revolution 
shaped  itself,  Courtesy  carried  on  his  solitary  war 
fare  against  all  Mexico." 

"  But  you  must  own,  Padre,  that  his  life  is  en 
tirely  wrong." 

"  I  had  rather  say  —  misused." 
68 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Oh,  he  probably  thinks  he  is  quite  in  the  right," 
said  Eleanor,  stirring  up  the  coals  and  laying  a 
fresh  log  on  the  embers. 

"  That  is  just  it,  daughter." 

"  Do  you  believe,"  she  asked,  "  that,  if  he  had 
one  to  teach  him  the  truth,  he  might  abandon  the 
highway  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  possible,"  returned  the  old  man, 
"  for  '  deep  in  each  soul  dwells  a  noble  spark.'  " 

They  became  silent  again.  The  padre  was  writ 
ing:  "In  danger  of  eternal  damnation."  He 
looked  up  and,  after  consideration,  muttered,  "  No, 
that  was  meant  for  Castro !  "  With  a  sudden  move 
ment  he  arose,  tore  up  the  paper,  and  cast  the  frag 
ments  into  the  fire. 

"  What  are  you  doing,  Padre  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  write  a  new  sermon,"  he  answered 

gravely,  "  as  though  I  were  addressing  Captain 

Courtesy.     The  world  is  full  of  such  men  —  only 

less  bold  than  he.     My  text  shall  be  —  eh  —  let 

69 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


me  see!  Ah,  I  have  it!  .  .  .  No!  .  .  . 
Hum!  .  /  .Ah!  ...  Here:  'All  his 
transgressions  that  he  hath  committed,  they  shall 
not  be  mentioned  unto  him :  in  his  righteousness 
that  he  hath  done  he  shall  live.'  " 

"  But  your  text  is  incomplete,"  complained  Elea 
nor;  "you  forget  the  preceding  verse:  'But  if 
the  wicked  will  turn  from  all  his  sins  that  he  hath 
committed,  and  keep  all  my  statutes,  and  do  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall  surely  live,  he 
shall  not  die.'  " 

The  padre  laid  his  hands  on  her  arms,  stooped 
and  kissed  her  brow.  "  Yes,  yes,  dear  child 
.  .  .  if  he  but  knew.  .  .  .  Your  verse 
shall  be  my  theme." 

"  Weave  it  into  a  melody,  Padre."  As  she  spoke 
Eleanor  took  from  a  cupboard-shelf  a  violin  and 
bow  and  placed  them  in  the  good  father's  hands. 
He  smiled  his  acquiescence,  settled  himself  in  the 
chair  by  the  fireside,  and  fell  to  tuning  his  instru- 
70 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


mcnt,  while  Eleanor  chose  a  low  stool  and  placed 
herself  with  childlike  reverence  at  his  feet,  where 
she  might  still  watch  the  nodding  of  the  flames. 

The  padre  drew  his  bow  across  the  strings.  The 
instrument  sighed.  The  brightness  of  the  old 
man's  soul  shone  in  his  eyes  and  Eleanor  heard  the 
voice  of  that  soul  in  the  song  of  the  violin. 

There  came  a  knock  at  the  door,  yet  neither  he 
who  wove  the  song  nor  she  who  harkened  unto  it 
heard  the  summons.  Again  there  came  a  knock 
and  again.  Still  was  it  unheeded,  for  musician  and 
listener,  enrapt  in  melody,  had  no  ears  for  a  call 
from  the  world. 

The  door  opened.  A  man  stood  upon  the 
threshold.  He  was  tall  and  rather  slim,  although 
there  was  no  mistaking  the  brawn  in  his  well- 
modeled  shoulders  and  lithe  limbs,  which  his  tight- 
fitting  deer-skin  tunic  and  breeches  showed  to  ad 
vantage.  His  features  were  almost  classic  in  form 
and  the  deep  tan  of  his  face  contrasted  oddly  with 
71 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


blue  eyes  and  brown  hair.  He  was,  perhaps,  a 
trifle  under  thirty.  Although  he  appeared  calm, 
he  was  breathing  heavily  and,  from  the  lather 
which  splattered  his  military  boots,  one  might  have 
fancied  that  he  had  ridden  far  and  fast. 

He  stood  in  the  doorway  unseen,  one  hand  on  the 
latch,  the  other  holding  his  sombrero,  deeply  im 
pressed  by  the  music  and  the  unconscious  picture 
which  the  padre  and  his  ward  composed  by  the  fire 
side.  The  old  man,  in  long  gray  frock  and  cowl, 
lay  back  in  his  chair,  the  violin  tucked  lovingly  un 
der  his  chin,  his  eyes  closed,  his  arm  swaying 
rhythmically  as  he  bowed.  Eleanor,  with  elbow 
resting  on  the  padre's  knee,  presented  to  the  in 
truder  only  a  bit  of  cheek  and  throat,  rose-tinted 
in  the  firelight;  but  there  was  something  in  the 
poise  of  her  head,  the  suppleness  of  her  figure, 
clothed  in  some  soft  white  material,  which  charmed 
him  more  than  music  or  tableau. 

The  song  of  the  violin  grew  fainter,  then  hushed, 
72 


THE  SONG  OF  THE  VIOLIN  GREW  FAINTER 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


fading  away  into  a  sigh.  The  visitant  too  sighed. 
They  at  the  fire  turned  and,  startled  at  the  pres 
ence  of  a  stranger,  arose  abruptly. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Padre,"  began  the  in 
truder. 

"  I  pray  you  enter,  Senor,"  said  the  old  man,  ad 
vancing  with  a  cordial  air. 

The  newcomer  closed  the  door  and  took  the 
hand  the  priest  offered,  saying,  "  I  knocked  several 
times.  You  did  not  hear.  I  took  the  liberty  of 
entering." 

"  You  are  welcome !  " 

"  Gracias,  Padre !  My  name  is  Davis  —  Leo 
nardo  Davis,  of  San  Pedro." 

With  a  quaint  show  of  pride,  the  padre  present 
ed  Eleanor  and  introduced  himself.  Just  then  the 
rumble  of  a  troop  of  horse  attracted  their  attention. 
With  a  common  impulse  all  went  to  the  window. 

"  Probably  Jocoso's  troop,"  commented  the  old 
man. 

78 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  They're  riding  like  mad,"  added  Eleanor. 

"  I  should  explain,"  volunteered  the  stranger, 
"  that  my  mare  has  gone  lame.  I  beg  your  hospi 
tality  for  the  night,  Padre." 

"  Such  poor  entertainment  as  we  can  offer  is 
yours,  Senor.  I  will  see  to  your  mare."  With 
that  the  good  father  took  a  candle  and  made  for 
the  kitchen. 

"  I  fear  I  am  putting  you  to  a  great  deal  of 
trouble,"  remarked  the  guest. 

The  padre  shook  his  head.  "  The  mission  is  not 
as  it  was  in  the  old  days,  but  strangers  are  welcome 
as  ever  they  were.  You  have  made  us  happy  in 
your  coming,  Senor." 


'TELL  ME,  WHERE  IS 
FANCY  BRED?" 


CHAPTER  V 

"  TELL  ME,  WHERE  IS  FANCY  BRED?  " 

HEN  the  door  closed  behind  the  padre, 
the  stranger  looked  at  Eleanor  curiously 
for  a  moment  and  then  remarked,  "  I  am 
wondering,  Senorita,  whether  your  memory  is  as 
good  as  mine." 

She  scrutinized  him  in  turn  but,  as  he  stood  well 
back  from  the  fireplace,  she  could  not  clearly  dis 
tinguish  his  features.  She  hesitated,  then  impul 
sively  caught  up  a  candle,  held  it  high  and  at  arm's 
length,  so  that  the  light  of  it  fell  upon  the  visit 
or's  face.  It  was  a  countenance  to  inspire  confi 
dence.  Frank,  fearless,  smiling  eyes  challenged 
hers. 

"  You  —  you  are  he  who  befriended  me,"  she 
exclaimed  in  amazement,  and,  holding  out  a  hand 
to  him,  continued,  "  But  you  are  so  changed." 
77 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Oh,"  returned  the  other  humorously,  "  I  have 
shaved  my  ferocious  moustache." 

"  Yes,  yes,  of  course !  And,  Sefior,  please  re 
member  that  I  saw  you  only  for  a  moment !  " 

"  You  have  not  forgotten  our  meeting !  I  am 
hugely  flattered,  Sefiorita."  He  bowed,  with  his 
hand  over  his  heart. 

"  It  is  more  than  you  merit,"  she  chided,  setting 
the  candle  on  the  table,  "  seeing  that  you  gave  me 
no  chance  to  thank  you." 

The  stranger  smiled.  "  I  assure  you,"  said  he, 
"  that  I  deserve  no  thanks  for  whipping  a  greaser. 
I  had  rather  do  that  than  eat,  drink,  or  sleep.  I 
cannot  imagine  a  paradise  without  Mexicans  to 
thrash." 

"  You  left  me  very  abruptly,"  Eleanor  com 
plained. 

"  That  was  the  fault  of  Paquita." 

"Paquita?" 

"  My  mare,"  he  explained.  "  She  ran  away 
78 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


with  me.  She  adores  Mexicans  —  as  I  do.  You 
remember  her?  " 

Eleanor  confessed  that  she  did  not. 

"  Forget  Paquita ;  forget  me !  "  Whereupon  he 
threw  open  a  window  and  gave  a  peculiar  whistle. 
"  No  matter  where  she  is,  she'll  answer  that,"  he 
observed.  "  I'll  present  her."  He  leaned  out  of 
the  window  and  called  quietly,  "  Ho,  girl ! " 
There  came  an  answering  neigh.  He  called  again, 
almost  in  a  whisper.  Then  a  mare  thrust  her  black 
muzzle  in  at  the  casement  and  nosed  the  hand  held 
out  to  her. 

"  Bonita  Senorlta  Paquita! "  announced  the 
stranger  with  mock  ceremony.  "  Isn't  she  a 
beauty  ?  "  Paquita  playfully  snapped  at  her  mas 
ter  and  laid  her  head  across  his  shoulder,  which  was 
her  way  of  begging  a  caress. 

"  I  don't  wonder  that  you  adore  her,"  exclaimed 
Eleanor  enthusiastically.  With  a  pretty  gesture 
she  took  the  rose  from  her  hair  and  was  about  to 
79 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


place  it  in  Paquita's  bridle,  when  her  companion 
asked : 

"  For  Paquita,  or  me?  " 

Rather  startled  by  his  assurance,  she  made  no 
reply ;  neither  did  she  resist  as  he  gently  drew  the 
rose  from  her  fingers.  This  bit  of  pantomime  was 
observed  by  Jocoso,  who,  entering  slyly,  did  not 
proclaim  his  presence  until  the  guest  had  fastened 
the  flower  in  his  tunic. 

"  Muchas  excusas,  Senorita,"  he  chirped ;  "  I 
made  quick  return  for  Sendr  Granville!  Affair 
most  important ! " 

Rather  embarrassed  by  the  Mexican's  sudden  ap 
pearance,  Eleanor  stammered  something  to  the  ef 
fect  that  Granville  had  gone  a  half  hour  ago; 
while  the  man  at  the  window,  giving  Paquita  a 
caress,  waved  her  from  the  casement. 

"  Senor  Granville  has  gone  without  la  rasa," 
grinned  Jocoso.  "  Hah,  ho,  mucho  amuse,  when  I 
tell  him." 

80 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Ignoring  this  remark,  Eleanor  presented  Jocoso 
to  the  stranger. 

"  Ah,  excusa  I  come  in  so  —  so  impetuously," 
said  the  lieutenant.  "  My  regimento  just  capture 
desperado  el  Capitan  Cortesia." 

"  You  surprise  me,"  observed  the  visitant. 

The  Mexican  plumed  himself,  saying,  "Si,  si, 
Senor;  mucho  honor." 

"Are  you  quite  sure  you  have  him?"  queried 
the  stranger. 

Jocoso  was  positive.  "  Of  course  he  say,  "No, 
no,  I  no  am  el  desperado.'  That  sure  I  may  be,  I 
make  quick  return  for  Senor  Granville.  He 
know." 

"  You'll  likely  find  him  at  the  ranch,"  suggested 
Eleanor. 

"Ah,  maybe!  .Buenas  nocJies,  Senor!"  The 
lieutenant  saluted  the  visitor,  and,  plucking  Elea 
nor  by  the  sleeve,  whispered  roguishly,  "  La  rosa 
mucho  amuse.  I  make  discovery  of  him  to  Senor 
81 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Granville.  Ho,  ho!"  With  that,  he  hastened 
away. 

"  May  I  ask  who  is  Senor  Granville?  "  inquired 
the  guest. 

"  He  is  from  the  States.  His  ranch  is  close  to 
the  mission.  You  know  we  have  quite  a  little 
American  settlement  here."  As  Eleanor  spoke,  the 
priest  came  in  from  the  kitchen.  "  Padre,"  said 
the  maid,  "  you  cannot  fancy  who  this  senor  is." 

The  old  man  looked  from  one  to  the  other  with 
sparkling  eyes.  "  You  have  discovered  that  you 
are  cousins  already  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Better,"  put  in  the  stranger,  "  we  are  old 
friends." 

"  It  was  he  who  protected  me  from  those  Mexi 
cans  at  Los  Nietos." 

"  Then  you  are  doubly  welcome,  Senor,"  sup 
plemented  the  priest. 

At  that  moment  Tim,  bringing  in  the  guest's 
saddle-bags,  volunteered  the  information  that  his 
82 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


friend,  Muscado  of  the  presidio,  had  come  from  as 
sisting  in  the  taking  of  Captain  Courtesy. 

"  Captured  at  last !  "  mused  the  old  man.  "  I'm 
sorry  to  hear  that,"  he  added,  possessing  himself  of 
the  huge  chair  by  the  fire. 

Tim  retired  to  the  kitchen  and  a  brief  period  of 
silence  ensued.  Eleanor  resumed  her  place  at  the 
padre's  feet,  while  the  newcomer  took  a  stool  in  the 
shadow,  on  the  edge  of  the  hearth,  and  squared  his 
shoulders  against  the  wall.  From  this  vantage 
point  he  presently  remarked,  "  Padre,  you  seem  to 
think  well  of  this  —  eh  —  Courtesy !  " 

The  good  father  stroked  his  smooth-shaven  chin 
reflectively  and  answered,  "  Well  enough  to  admire 
him,  despite  his  grievous  sins." 

"  Then  you  consider  him  a  great  sinner? " 
There  was  a  note  of  surprise  in  the  stranger's  voice. 

"  To  be  sure,"  interposed  Eleanor. 

"  Do  you  know  of  his  services  in  the  cause  of  our 
revolution,  Sefiorita  ?  " 

83 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"Yes,"  she  replied,  "  but  we  think  he  might  find 
an  honest  way  to  serve  his  country." 

"  If  all  the  Americans  in  California  took  the 
highway  against  Mexico,  as  Courtesy  has,  we  would 
be  assured  of  victory,"  retorted  the  visitor  warmly. 

"  There  is  something  in  that,"  admitted  the 
padre. 

Eleanor  laid  her  hand  affectionately  on  the  old 
man's  arm  and  said,  "  Ah,  the  dear  padre  loves  a 
great  sinner." 

"  I  have  precedent  for  that,  daughter:  '  All  his 
transgressions  that  he  hath  committed,  they  shall 
not  be  mentioned  unto  him:  in  his  righteousness 
that  he  hath  done  he  shall  live.'  " 

"  If  the  wicked  turn  from  his  sins  —  repent  — 
reform ! " 

The  priest  pressed  her  hand,  by  way  of  reply, 

arose,  and  began  sorting  his  papers  at  the  table. 

When  he  had  gathered  them  and  placed  them  in 

the  cupboard,  and  while  he  turned  to  bolt  the  outer 

84 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


door,  the  guest  inquired  humorously  of  Eleanor, 
"  I  wonder  if  you  would  care  to  undertake  the  ref 
ormation  of  Courtesy?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  so,  Sefior.  I  doubt  if  I  could 
do  much  with  such  a  — " 

"  Desperate  man  ?  "  he  suggested. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  smiled ;  "  I  might  have  said 
something  worse." 

"  He's  probably  not  such  a  devil  of  a  fellow  after 
all.  I  fancy  that,  for,  the  sake  of  a  woman,  he 
might  do  a  great  deal.  They  say  he's  quite  civil  to 
your  sex." 

"  Senor,  he's  afraid  of  them !  " 

"  I  understand  now :  that's  why  he  has  never 
robbed  a  woman,"  chuckled  the  guest. 

The  padre,  having  closed  the  mission  for  the 
night,  lighted  another  candle  and  addressed  himself 
to  the  stranger :  "  Pardon,  Senor,"  said  he,  "  but 
if  you  will  permit,  I  will  show  you  to  my  room." 

"  Your  room?  "  ejaculated  the  other. 
85 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


The  old  man  was  embarrassed  at  what  he  consid 
ered  a  blunder  and  hastened  to  explain  that  the 
mission  was  half  in  ruins,  that  there  were  few  rooms 
fit  for  habitation,  and  that  he  would  be  obliged  to 
offer  his  own. 

"No,  no,  Padre,"  objected  the  stranger;  "I 
could  not  think  of  depriving  you  of  your  bed. 
Permit  me  to  sleep  on  the  bench  —  there !  "  He 
waved  his  hand  toward  a  long  settee  which  stood 
against  the  further  wall. 

"  But,  Senor,  you  are  my  guest.  That  would  be 
poor  hospitality." 

The  guest,  however,  was  insistent.  "  Really," 
he  said,  "  I  prefer  this  arrangement,  if  you  will  be 
so  kind.  Otherwise  you  will  drive  me  away." 

The  old  man  reluctantly  acquiesced.  "  God 
bless  you  and  keep  you  through  the  night,  Senor !  " 
With  this  benediction,  he  motioned  Eleanor  to  fol 
low  him  and  lighted  the  way  to  their  chambers. 

"  Good-night,"  said  Eleanor,  and  she  offered  the 
86 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


visitant  her  hand.  He  touched  her  fingers  and 
murmured,  "  Buenas  noches,  Senorita." 

For  some  little  time,  the  stranger  stood  looking 
at  the  door  through  which  Eleanor  had  vanished; 
then,  with  a  deep  breath,  he  wheeled  about  to  the 
table  upon  which  burned  a  solitary  candle.  He 
picked  up  the  dip  and  inspected  his  domicile.  That 
done,  he  threw  a  fresh  log  on  the  fire,  drew  a  chair 
up  to  the  hearth  and  mechanically  filled  a  black 
pipe  and  lighted  it. 

"  Snug  here,"  he  murmured.  For  a  half  hour 
he  smoked  contentedly.  At  last,  with  a  yawn,  he 
knocked  the  ashes  from  his  pipe  and  prepared  to 
make  his  bed  on  the  settee.  He  doubled  up  his  sad 
dle-bags,  from  which  the  butt  of  a  pistol  asserted 
itself,  as  the  foundation  for  a  pillow,  and  flung  his 
tunic  over  them.  The  rose,  which  had  been  secured 
in  a  leathern  loop,  fell  to  the  tiles.  He  caught  it 
up  from  the  floor,  regarded  it  whimsically  and, 
with  a  stealthy  action,  as  though  he  feared  detec- 
87 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


tion,  wrapped  the  flower  in  a  kerchief  and  tucked  it 
in  his  shirt.  Whereupon  he  laughed  sheepishly 
and  began  pulling  off  his  boots  —  first  the  left, 
then  the  right.  The  latter  he  held  for  at  least  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  staring  blindly  at  the  floor. 
Presently  the  boot  slipped  from  his  hands. 

"What  am  I  dreaming  about?"  he  exclaimed, 
starting  to  his  feet  and  going  to  the  table,  where 
he  picked  up  the  snuffer  and  extinguished  the 
candle. 

The  room  was  now  dark,  save  for  a  patch  of 
light  cast  across  the  hearthstone.  The  stranger 
tossed  another  log  on  the  coals,  moved  slowly  to  the 
settee,  and  lay  down  to  dream  of  a  vast  garden  of 
roses  wherein  every  flower  bore  the  upturned  face 
of  the  ward  of  the  padre  of  San  Gabriel. 


88 


"WHILE  NIGHT'S  BLACK 

AGENTS    TO    THEIR 

PREYS  DO  ROUSE" 


CHAPTER  VI 

"  WHILE  NIGHT'S  BLACK  AGENTS  TO  THEIR  PREYS 
DO  ROUSE  " 

S  George  Granville,  under  the  escort  of 
Lieutenant  Jocoso,  passed  the  mission 
on  his  way  to  the  presidio  —  whither  he 
was  bound  to  identify  the  captured  highwayman 
—  he  noted  with  satisfaction  that  San  Gabriel  was 
dark. 

"  Make  haste,"  he  cried  impatiently  to  the  Mex 
ican,  who  was  lagging  behind,  "  I've  other  business 
tonight."  He  laid  his  whip  over  his  horse's  flanks 
and  in  a  few  minutes  beheld  the  light  of  the  pre 
sidio. 

The  news  of  the  capture  of  Captain  Courtesy 
had   spread  rapidly,   so   that  Granville,   when   he 
drew  up  at  the  old  adobe  barracks,  which  housed 
91 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Jocoso's  regiment,  found  a  crowd  of  men  and 
women  gathered  about  the  door,  eager  for  a 
glimpse  of  the  notorious  road-agent.  Granville 
dismounted,  called  to  a  Mexican  to  hold  his  bridle, 
and  unceremoniously  pushed  his  way  through  the 
throng  with  Jocoso  at  his  heels. 

"  Where's  your  prisoner?  "  asked  the  American. 

"  Here,  Senor,"  replied  Jocoso,  piloting  his  com 
panion  into  a  bare  room,  where  a  half-dozen  men  in 
soiled  uniforms  stood  guard  over  a  muscular-look 
ing  frontiersman,  who  was  bound  securely  to  a 
stone  bench. 

Granville  glared  at  the  man  for  an  instant  and 
then  turned  on  Jocoso  with  a  curse.  "  You  blun 
dering  idiot,"  he  exclaimed ,  "  that's  no  more  Cap 
tain  Courtesy  than  I  am." 

The  prisoner  grinned.     "  Just  what  I've  been 

tryin'  to  tell  these  greasers,"  he  drawled ;  "  but 

'twarn't  any  use.     They  picked  me  up  'bout  a  mile 

back  on  th'  Pasadena  trail,  near  whar  they  said  th' 

92 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


courier  was  held  up.  It  ain't  safe  t'  let  these  ir-re- 
spon-si-ble  young  fellers  go  loose  at  night.  Some 
time  they'll  be  took  serious  an'  be  lugged  home  per 
forated.  I'd  be  'bliged,  Senor,  if  you'd  cut  these 
ropes;  I  ain't  just  com-fort-able." 

Granville  gave  the  order,  and  the  frontiersman, 
released,  stalked  out  of  the  presidio,  and  told  the 
crowd  with  great  gusto  of  Jocoso's  discomfiture. 
Then  he  hunted  up  his  mustang  and  resumed  the 
trail  to  Pasadena. 

The  gathering  had  disintegrated  when  Gran 
ville,  unaccompanied,  descended  the  presidio  steps 
and  called  brusquely  to  a  Mexican  to  bring  up  his 
horse.  In  an  ill-humor,  then,  he  swung  himself 
into  the  saddle  and  cantered  off  in  the  direction  of 
San  Gabriel. 

As  he  rode,  he  noted  that  a  wonderful  change 

was  taking  place  in  the  aspect  of  the  night.     The 

opaque  clouds  which  had  completely  canopied  the 

sky  were  rent  here  and  there  by  a  fresh  wind  that 

93 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


came  from  over  the  sea,  and  through  the  openings 
the  stars  shone  faintly,  like  lamps  in  distant  win 
dows.  A  cottonwood  copse  shut  out  the  light  again 
for  a  moment,  but,  when  he  emerged  from  the  shad 
ows,  he  found  the  night  had  grown  brighter  still: 
the  belated  moon  was  coquettishly  bobbing  over  a 
row  of  gnarled  willows  that  stood  guard  over  the 
creek,  called  the  San  Gabriel  River. 

The  moon  seemed  to  precede  him  and,  travelling 
clear  of  the  scudding  clouds,  it  picked  out  the  mis 
sion  tower  and  its  six  arches.  So  clear  was  the 
night  now  that,  had  he  cared  to  observe,  he  might 
have  seen  that  two  of  the  upper  tower  arches  were 
empty,  while  in  each  of  the  others  hung  a  bell, 
awaiting  but  the  tug  of  a  rope  to  give  voice  to  the 
chimes  which  had  contributed  not  a  little  to  the 
fame  of  the  Mission  of  San  Gabriel. 

Drawing  near,  the  rider  pulled  up  his  horse  and 
surveyed  the  mission  thoughtfully.  Finally  his 
glance  fell  upon  a  stone  stairway,  set  against  the 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


chapel  wall,  which  offered  access  to  a  choir  loft. 
He  turned  toward  it,  dismounted,  and  tied  his  horse 
under  a  pepper-tree.  Then  he  climbed  the  steps 
and  essayed  to  open  the  choir  loft  door.  Failing 
in  that,  he  descended,  walked  along  the  foot  of  the 
buttresses,  past  the  bell-tower  and,  pausing  before 
a  window  in  the  priest's  house,  took  to  studying  its 
fastenings.  Presently  his  hand  went  down  into  his 
boot,  a  steel  instrument  shimmered  in  the  moon 
light,  the  window  frames  creaked  and,  yielding  to 
pressure,  sprang  open. 

Granville  looked  within.     A  fire  fitfully  split  the 
darkness  on  one  side  of  the  room  so  that  there  was 

* 

just  light  enough  for  him  vaguely  to  make  out  the 
forms  of  chairs  and  table  within  a  small  radius,  but 
beyond  that  he  could  distinguish  nothing.  A 
dozen  men  might  have  lurked  there  unseen. 

For  an  instant  he  stood  listening.     He  fancied 
he  heard  a  noise  like  the  click  of  a  latch.     Conclud 
ing,  however,  that  he  was  mistaken,  he  climbed  over 
95 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


the  sill  and  dropped  lightly  on  the  floor.  He  went 
directly  to  the  fireplace  and,  dropping  on  one  knee, 
inserted  a  heavy  hunting  knife  between  tile  and 
hearthstone.  Using  the  implement  as  a  lever,  he 
raised  the  flag  a  half-inch  or  so,  and  then  attempted 
to  lift  it  with  his  fingers.  It  was  heavy  and  his 
grip  was  insecure.  The  stone  slipped  from  his 
grasp  and  dropped  back  into  place. 

Granville  darted  to  the  window,  flung  a  leg  over 
the  sill,  ready  to  decamp  at  the  first  hint  of  an 
alarm.  He  sat  there  awhile,  listening  intently.  It 
was  so  still  that  he  heard  the  drumming  of  his  own 
pulse.  Clearly  there  was  nothing  to  fear.  He  re 
turned  to  the  fireplace  and  set  about  raising  the 
flag  again. 

His  next  attempt  was  more  successful.  Holding 
up  the  hearthstone  with  one  hand^  he  reached  under 
it  with  the  other,  dragged  out  a  leathern  bag,  and 
deposited  it  in  the  shadow  behind  him.  As  he 
drew  forth  its  mate,  he  again  lost  his  grip  and  the 
96 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


flag  fell,  buffered  by  the  second  bag,  with  a  muf 
fled  thud. 

"  You're  very  clumsy !  " 

This  terse  comment  startled  Granville  with  all 
the  shock  of  an  explosion,  and  he  recoiled  as  though 
the  shock  had  been  accompanied  by  a  blow.  Then, 
quickly  recovering  himself,  he  snatched  up  his 
knife  and  sprang  toward  a  figure  silhouetted 
against  the  window. 

"  Drop  that  tool !  " 

At  this  command,  Granville,  catching  the  glint 
of  a  pistol  barrel,  lowered  his  arm  and  tossed  his 
weapon  on  the  table. 

"Well,  what  now?"  he  asked,  with  an  attempt 
at  indifference. 

"  Put  back  those  bags,"  was  the  answer. 

Granville  took  both  hands  to  the  flag.  "  You'll 
have  to  give  me  a  lift,"  said  he. 

The  other  took  a  step  toward  the  fireplace,  keep 
ing  out  of  the  light,  and  kicked  the  bags  under  the 
97 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


stone.  At  the  same  instant  Granville  released  his 
hold  and  struck  at  his  captor.  There  was  a  scuffle, 
a  groan,  and  Granville  sank  on  his  knees  by  the 
hearth  —  a  hand  at  his  throat,  a  pistol  at  his 
temple. 

A  gust  from  the  window  fanned  the  fire.  A 
flame  danced  high,  casting  a  bright  light  upon  the 
features  of  the  stranger. 

"  Great  G-o-d !  "  cried  Granville  in  amazement ; 
"  Captain  Courtesy !  " 

"  Good  of  you  to  remember  me,"  returned  the 
outlaw  laconically. 


98 


"IT  BEHOOVES  YOU,  THEN,  TO 
PLY  YOUR  FINEST  ART" 


CHAPTER  VII 


"  IT    BEHOOVES    YOU,    THEN,    TO    PLY    YOUR    FINEST 


ART" 


IGHT  began  to  pale.  A  mist  appeared 
upon  the  horizon  and  spread  rapidly 
over  the  sky.  It  was  as  though  some 
one  were  opening  a  huge  fan  of  cold  filmy  gray. 
A  fresh  wind  coursed  down  the  San  Gabriel  valley, 
gathering  the  chill  of  many  dews  as  it  sped.  It 
worried  the  trees,  starting  birds  from  their  roosts ; 
it  ruffled  the  easy-going  creek  until  its  banks  were 
margined  with  foam ;  it  struck  across  the  green  pas 
tures  where  the  sheep  huddldd :  tyl  ,Xannth  *v  'tl^cn 
whirled  toward  the  mission; '  buff eiin g  ^Jiojqse.  that 
had  stood  patiently  through  the  'night  'b^rieam  -a  '  • 
pepper-tree,  and  blew  in  at  an  open  window  where 
two  men  sat  facing  each  other  across  a  table. 
101 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


They  felt  the  chill  of  the  wind  and  shivered. 
The  fire  had  long  since  burned  out  and  they  were 
stiff,  heavy-eyed,  and  weary  with  a  long,  strange 
vigil. 

"  When  are  you  going  to  conclude  this  farce  ?  " 
asked  one ;  "  I'd  like  to  go  home  to  bed.  It's  al 
most  day-break." 

"  Senor  Granville,"  replied  the  other,  shifting  a 
pistol  from  his  left  to  his  right  hand  and  keeping 
the  muzzle  pointed  toward  his  companion,  "  you 
may  go  when  you  pledge  your  word  that  you'll  not 
betray  my  identity  until  sunset." 

"  And  give  you  a  whole  day  to  make  love  to  the 
padre's  ward ! " 

"  So  that's  the  way  of  it.  Our  friend  Jocoso  has 
b^en  carrying; tains.  :  Well?  "  The  speaker  leaned 
back  libra's  rchair  and  yawned. 

\ :  *c  jrjj  compromise,"  volunteered  Granville.  "  If 
you'll  leave  here  immediately,  I  will  keep  silent, 
Senor  Road-agent." 

102 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Road-agent?  Eh!  Thief  has  caught  thief," 
laughed  the  highwayman. 

"  Do  you  accept  my  offer  ?  " 

"  No,"  rejoined  the  other,  emphatically.  "  This 
is  final.  Look !  "  He  pointed  through  the  case 
ment.  A  pale  orange  tint  streaked  the  horizon. 
"  In  a  few  moments,"  he  continued,  "  the  sun  will 
strike  the  window.  Then,  if  you  have  not  pledged 
me  your  word  of  honor  that  I  may  stay  here,  un 
known  as  Captain  Courtesy,  until  the  angelus,  I 
shall  kill  you." 

Granville  stroked  his  moustache  nervously.  He 
hesitated  to  yield  the  point,  though  it  was  quite 
within  the  prospect  of  his  belief  that  the  captain 
would  make  good  the  threat.  Throughout  the 
night,  decision  and  irresolution  had  ebbed  and 
flowed  in  his  mind.  There  might  be  no  significance 
in  the  gift  of  a  rose,  yet  she  had  refused  it  to  him 
and  bestowed  it  upon  this  highwayman,  who  —  in 
a  day,  for  all  he  knew  —  might  outstrip  his  court- 
103 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ship  of  months.  But  this  rival  was  an  outlaw  and, 
at  the  latest,  must  be  gone  by  night.  What  fear 
then?  Eleanor  would  not  entertain  for  even  a 
moment  the  thought  of  such  a  one  as  Captain 
Courtesy.  The  road-agent  would  go  his  way  and 
be  forgot.  How  childish  it  was  to  hold  out  against 
the  man's  one  stipulation!  Ah,  but  what  did  the 
captain  mean  by  it?  He  was  resourceful.  The 
very  fact  that,  when  hard  pressed,  he  had  sought 
shelter  in  so  unlikely  a  place  as  the  mission  was  evi 
dence  of  his  cleverness.  Had  he  not,  perhaps, 
formed  some  cunning  project  to  make  way  with 
Eleanor?  A  man  possessing  the  effrontery  to  rob 
Castro  and  his  escort  in  broad  daylight,  would 
make  little  of  abducting  a  woman  from  under  the 
nose  of  a  dozen  priests.  Nothing  would  be  sacred 
to  him. 

Then  an  easy  solution,  which  he  had  early  enter 
tained  and  rejected  a  dozen  times,  reappealed  to 
him.  He  would  pledge  his  word,  as  was  demanded 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


of  him,  and  break  it  at  will.  Perhaps  that  were  the 
best  way,  but  would  it  not  bring  the  man's  ven 
geance  instantly  upon  him?  Or  should  he  escape 
that,  for  the  time,  would  he  not  live  thereafter  in 
constant  terror  of  his  life?  Already,  on  another 
account  —  unknown  to  the  captain  —  he  held  the 
highwayman  in  dread  and  he  had  no  wish  to  add  to 
the  heavy  score  which  stood  against  him.  But,  re 
membering  Eleanor,  dared  he  yield  ? 

Jealousy  is  a  terrible  spur  to  the  imagination. 
It  goaded  Granville's  fancy  the  night  long.  It 
drove  him,  at  times,  to  the  brink  of  insanity,  when 
a  scarlet  film  seemed  to  blur  his  sight ;  and  only  the 
heavy  oak  table,  an  effective  barrier,  balked  his 
design  to  brave  the  highwayman's  pistol  and  seek 
deliverance  with  a  knife  thrust.  And  now,  at  the 
sill  of  the  morning,  and  death  within  a  moment's 
overtaking,  he  was  still  irresolute. 

The  captain  wras  re-examining  the  priming  of  his 
pistol.  "  I  repeat,"  said  he  complacently,  "  that  I 
105 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


shall  shoot  the  instant  that  the  sun  lights  the  win 
dow."  He  paused,  smiled  grimly,  and  went  on 
in  a  tone  of  quiet  determination :  "  I  might  make 
a  very  pretty  yarn  of  the  thief  who  came  in  the 
night  to  rob  the  home  of  the  woman,  whom  —  I 
fancy  —  he  professes  to  adore.  I  never  killed  a 
man  in  cold  blood,  but  my  only  regret  would  be 
that  you  were  not  a  Mexican." 

Granville  turned  his  eyes  to  the  window.  The 
sun  was  preparing  to  rise  regally.  The  steel-gray 
screen  in  the  east  became  a  canopy  of  rose-colored 
silk;  the  orange  band  on  the  fringe  of  the  land 
scape  became  a  pathway  of  golden  cloth.  Framed 
by  the  casement,  the  scene  looked  like  the  work  of 
a  Japanese  artist. 

The  silence  was  becoming  oppressive,  when  sud 
denly  it  was  disturbed.  This  disturbance  was 
scarcely  greater  than  that  which  may  be  made  by 
a  leaf  falling  upon  the  still  surface  of  a  pool,  yet 
the  captain  was  aware  that  a  door  was  gently 
106 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


opened  behind  him.  Intuitively  he  knew  that  the 
intruder  was  Eleanor. 

Granville  started  in  his  chair.  The  sun 
swamped  the  window  ledge. 

Courtesy,"  unmindful  of  Granville's  look  of 
amazement  and  as  though  unconscious  of  a  third 
presence,  calmly  presented  the  pistol  —  butt  fore 
most  —  to  his  enemy,  remarking,  "  A  very  pretty 
gun,  Senor  Granville.  I  should  be  glad  to  own  one 
like  it." 

Granville,  stunned  for  an  instant,  both  by  the 
apparition  at  the  door  and  the  astonishing  action 
of  the  highwayman,  accepted  the  weapon  mutely; 
then,  recovering  his  poise,  arose  and  advanced  to 
Eleanor  with  a  mumbled  word  of  apology. 

The  captain,  too,  with  a  show  of  wonder,  sprang 
to  his  feet,  exclaiming,  "  Senorita  Brinton !  "  and 
hurriedly  slipped  into  his  tunic  and  pulled  on  his 
boots. 

The  young  woman  regarded  them  with  an  air  of 
107 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


bewilderment.     "  How   strange,"   she    stammered ; 
"  you  —  two  —  so  —  so  early." 

"  Yes,"  rejoined  Granville,  forcing  a  laugh,  "  it 
—  it  is  rather  strange,  but  the  fact  is  — " 

"  That  last  night  he  ran  across  the  trail  of  Cap 
tain  Courtesy,"  put  in  the  highwayman. 

"  Captain  Courtesy  ?  "  interrogated  Eleanor ;  "  I 
thought  he  was  taken." 

"  So  did  I,"  added  Granville  with  meaning. 

"  Well,  he  escaped,"  said  Courtesy.  "  The  trail 
ran  by  here.  I  was  not  asleep.  I  heard  the  noise 
of  the  chase  and  took  a  hand." 

Granville  turned  on  the  captain  reprovingly. 
"  If  it  had  not  been  for  you,  I  should  have  cap 
tured  him." 

"  True,"  rejoined  the  highwayman,  "  but  if  I 
had  fired  I  should  have  hit  you,  Senor." 

"  Odd  that  I  heard  nothing,"  mused  Eleanor. 

"  A  clear  conscience  makes  a  sound  sleeper,  Se- 
fiorita,"  commented  the  captain. 
108 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  He  was  near  by  ?  "  she  questioned,  turning 
from  one  to  the  other  with  a  puzzled  look. 

"  Quite  close,"  responded  Granville. 

"  Captain  Courtesy  seems  to  have  a  knack  of  get 
ting  out  of  tight  places." 

"  I  should  say,  Senorita,  that  it  was  his  spe 
cialty,"  declared  the  outlaw. 

"  But  the  day  will  come  when  he  must  pay  for  his 
misdeeds,"  said  the  girl  earnestly,  going  to  the 
window.  "  George,"  she  continued,  "  will  you  stay 
to  breakfast?" 

"  Thank  you,  no !  You  must  excuse  me,  Elea 
nor,  for  being  here  at  this  hour,  but  Senor  — " 

"  Davis,"  supplied  the  captain. 

"  Senor  Davis  would  take  me  in." 

"  Oh,  I  am  to  blame  for  keeping  him  here,"  said 
Courtesy. 

"  It  was  my  pleasure,"  returned  Granville,  catch 
ing  up  his  sombrero. 

"  You're  coming  back  this  morning,  are  you  not, 
109 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


George  ?  "  Eleanor  inquired.  "  Viviena  will  be 
disappointed  if  you  are  not  here  to  taste  the  new 
wine." 

Granville  assured  her  that  he  would  return  and, 
offering  his  hand  to  Courtesy,  expressed  the  hope 
that  they  might  meet  again. 

The  highwayman  accepted  this  friendly  over 
ture.  "  Gracias,  my  friend, "  said  he  pleasantly ; 
"  but  do  not  put  yourself  out  on  my  account." 
Then  he  flung  back  the  bolts  and  opened  the  door 
with  a  quaint  show  of  politeness. 

"  You  are  safe  until  the  angelus,"  whispered 
Granville  as  he  passed  out. 

Courtesy  bowed  ceremoniously  and  murmured, 
"  Your  generosity,  Senor,  is  only  equalled  by  your 
discretion." 


110 


'CUPID'S  MOST  CUNNING  NET 
IS  MADE  OF  THAT  HAIR" 


CHAPTER  VIII 


LEANOR  stood  at  the  window  sunning 
herself,  with  hands  clasped  behind  her, 
chin  uptilted,  and  head,  at  once  simple 
and  sovereign  in  poise,  resting  lightly  against  the 
casement,  wholly  unconscious  of  her  charming  atti 
tude.  The  wind  loosened  her  blue-black  hair  and 
wrapped  a  scarf  about  her  shoulders. 

By  candle-light,  Courtesy  thought  her  beauti 
ful;  by  day-light  he  found  her  radiant. 

He  stood  a  little  way  from  the  door,  which  he 
had  just  closed  upon  Granville,  gazing  at  her  with 
strange  and  bewildering  emotions.  A  look  came 
into  his  eyes  which  was  at  once  tender  and  happy. 
He  took  a  step  toward  her.  She  looked  over  her 
shoulder  at  him,  with  a  friendly  smile,  as  she  said : 
113 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  You  must  be  thinking  that  we  rise  outrag 
eously  early.  That's  our  custom." 

"  No,"  he  rejoined  simply,  "  I  was  thinking  of 
my  mother." 

"  Your  mother,  Seiior?  "     She  was  interested. 

"  You  recall  her  image  vividly,"  he  went  on. 
"  I  remember,  as  a  youngster,  admiring  her  as  she 
stood  at  a  window  in  the  sunlight.  She  was  young 
and  lovely  and  adorable." 

Eleanor  became  confused.  She  was  not  proof 
against  such  a  compliment.  A  glance  assured  her 
that  it  was  ingenuous. 

"  What  —  what  was  your  mother  like  ?  "  she 
winningly  inquired. 

"  She  was  a  Spaniard,  Senorita ;  a  woman  of 
spirit  and  courage,  yet  of  great  tenderness.  My 
father  came  from  the  States.  They  were  killed  in 
a  raid  on  the  settlement  near  San  Pedro  six  years 
ago." 

"  Ah  Senior,  these  Mexicans  have  much  to  answer 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


for.     It  may  comfort  you  to  know  that  I  lost  my 
parents  somewhat  as  you  lost  yours." 

"  Senorita,"  he  exclaimed,  with  sympathy,  hold 
ing  out  his  hand  to  her,  "  I  shall  remember  that  for 
you." 

She   impulsively    returned   his    clasp   and    said, 

"  There  are  many  like  us  in  California.  Had  it 
not  been  for  Padre  Reinaldo  —  he  was  my  father's 
dearest  friend  —  I  should  have  been  homeless." 

Just  then  the  priest  appeared  within  the  door 
way.  "  Buenos  dias,  Seiior,"  was  his  greeting. 
"  When  you  have  made  your  toilet,  we  shall  have 
breakfast."  The  old  man  called  Tim  from  the 
kitchen,  and  the  captain,  picking  up  his  saddle 
bags,  followed  the  lad  from  the  room. 

"  Daughter,"  began  the  padre,  when  they  were 
alone,  "  we  know  nothing  of  this  man  —  remember 
that." 

"  Padre !  "  she  exclaimed  in  astonishment. 

"  You  understand  me." 
115 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  But  —  "  she  began,  appealingly. 

A  knock  at  the  garden  door  interrupted  her. 
She  raised  the  latch  and  admitted  a  tall  Indian. 
His  hair  was  streaked  with  gray  but  he  carried  him 
self  erect  as  a  youth  of  twenty. 

"  Black  Moccasin,"  cried  Eleanor.  "  I  didn't 
expect  you  until  tonight." 

"  Padre  say  come  with  sun,"  explained  the  In 
dian. 

The  two  men  shook  hands  warmly.  "  The 
money  is  there,"  said  the  priest,  pointing  to  the 
hearthstone. 

Black  Moccasin  crossed  to  the  fireplace  and 
raised  the  flag,  while  Eleanor  lifted  the  bags  and 
despatches  from  under  it. 

"Leave  the  packet  there,"  enjoined  the  padre. 
"  I  shall  send  it  later  to  Dr.  Semple  by  Tim." 

The  old  man  waited  until  the  papers  were  re 
placed  and  the  stone  lowered  before  he  added, 
"  Black  Moccasin,  you  are  to  carry  the  money  to 
116 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Captain  Brunt,  of  the  California  Mounted  Rifle 
men,  encamped  near  San  Pedro.  When  that  is 
done,  report  to  Dr.  Semple  at  Ranchito." 

"  Go  now ! "  said  the  Indian,  laying  his  hands 
on  the  pouches.  As  he  made  for  one  door,  Gray 
Feather  entered  by  another.  Much  to  his  embar 
rassment,  she  embraced  him. 

"  Ugh ! "  he  ejaculated,  grinning,  "  Gray 
Feather  like  paleface  daughter."  He  looked  at 
her  patronizingly,  touched  her  head  with  a  sly 
caress  and  turned  away.  "  Go  now.  Padre  ask 
Great  Spirit  watch  both."  So  saying,  he  left  his 
daughter  and  stalked  out  in  the  wake  of  the  priest. 

Black  Moccasin  and  a  score  or  so  of  neophytes, 
who  performed  the  various  labors  about  the  mis 
sion,  were  all  that  were  left  of  over  a  thousand  In 
dian  converts  who  had  made  San  Gabriel  their 
home.  He  had  been  baptized  and  married  in  the 
chapel  and  his  wife  was  buried  in  the  little  ceme 
tery  beside  it.  This  Indian  had  proved  the  most 
117 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


intelligent  and  trustworthy  of  the  remaining  neo 
phytes;  so  when  the  padre  fell  into  secret  league 
with  the  revolutionists,  he  found  him  a  valuable 
instrument.  Black  Moccasin  came  and  went  from 
one  rendezvous  of  the  Americans  to  another,  car 
rying  money  for  arms,  orders  for  leaders,  or  news 
of  Mexican  movements. 

Now,  as  he  was  telling  the  padre  that  Castro 
was  mobilizing  troops  at  Santa  Ana,  word  was 
brought  by  an  old  neophyte  that  a  child  was  dying 
in  the  settlement  and  that  the  priest  was  sent  for  in 
haste.  Unmindful  that  he  had  not  broken  his  fast, 
the  good  father  bade  Black  Moccasin  God  speed 
and  went  about  his  priestly  duty. 

In  the  meantime,  Eleanor  and  the  captain  were 
seated  opposite  each  other  at  a  table  spread  with 
a  white  cloth  and  set  out  with  simple  fare. 

They  were  alone  and  —  so  it  seemed  to  him  —  in 
wonderful  intimacy.  For  the  first  time  in  their 
brief  acquaintance,  he  could  observe  her  minutely 
118 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


without  appearing  rude.  He  took  advantage  of 
the  situation.  Her  eyes  immediately  challenged  his 
attention.  He  began  to  fancy  that  they  were  not 
brown,  as  he  had  supposed,  but  dark  blue.  That 
was  because  they  were  shaded  with  long,  dark  va 
lances.  But  when  she  raised  her  lashes  and  met 
his  glance,  he  was  startled  to  see  that  they  had 
turned  brown  again.  It  was  with  great  interest 
that  he  speculated  upon  this  phenomenon. 

Presently  he  made  a  discovery.  Her  chin,  which 
he  had  taken  to  be  perfectly  smooth,  he  now  ob 
served  was  blessed  with  the  merest  suggestion  of  a 
dimple.  He  sighed  and  smiled  with  appreciation. 

From  this  dimple  to  her  lips  was  the  natural  di 
rection  of  his  eyes.  There  they  became  fascinated 
by  a  quaint  little  pucker  at  the  corner  of  her  mouth, 
only  to  be  lured  away  by  the  wisp  of  a  curl  which 
was  investigating  the  pink  contour  of  a  lovely  ear 
half  turned  to  him.  His  smile  became  an  expres 
sion  of  affection. 

119 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Propinquity,  under  such  circumstances,  creates 
adoration.  Yet  it  never  occurred  to  him  that  he 
might  be  falling  in  love.  His  attitude  was  not  in 
trospective.  In  his  mind,  self  was  merely  present 
—  not  intrusive,  and  fancy  usurped  reason.  He 
had  long  since  forgotten  that  he  was  at  the  table. 
The  white  cloth  had  become  a  cloud  and  she  and  he 
were  riding  it  through  Arcadie. 

That  she  divined  how  it  was  with  him,  he  might 
well  have  surmised  had  he  not  been  so  absorbed  in 
deciding  the  color  of  her  eyes  that  he  failed  to  sur 
prise  the  flushes  of  her  cheeks. 

She,  who  was  more  practical  than  he,  presently 
called  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  he  was  tasting 
nothing.  Whereupon  he  fell  to  desperately  — 
happy  that  she  should  be  so  interested  in  his  wel 
fare  —  and  poured  the  cream  into  the  sugar  bowl. 

Fairly  intoxicated,  he  spread  his  bread  with  thin 
air,  and  —  thinking  of  her  cheeks  —  asked,  "  Do 
you  like  roses  for  breakfast  ?  " 
120 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Oh  yes,"  she  replied  laughing  roguishly,  "  if 
they  are  dressed  with  dew  and  garnished  with 
moonbeams." 

Having  recovered  his  wits  for  a  moment,  he 
laughed  with  her  and,  as  though  in  abstraction, 
picked  up  her  hand,  in  lieu  of  a  china  cup,  and 
held  it  for  an  instant.  She  withdrew  it  in  a  panic 
and  inquired  seriously,  "  Do  you  like  coffee  in 
your  tea  ?  " 

Whereupon  he,  suppressing  a  smile,  remarked, 
"  I  prefer  sugar  in  my  coffee." 

They  laughed  freely  again,  subsiding  into 
silence,  and  presently,  venturing  to  look  up,  each 
surprised  the  other.  To  cover  her  chagrin,  she 
pointed  to  his  tunic,  exclaiming,  "  You  —  you've 
lost  a  button.  If  —  if  I  can  find  one  to  match  the 
others,  I'll  sew  it  on  —  if  you  like." 

He  would  like  it  and  thanked  her.  Then  he 
began  to  laugh.  She  looked  at  him  inquiringly, 
hurt.  She  fancied  he  was  laughing  at  her.  He 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


understood,  begged  that  she  excuse  his  merriment, 
and  explained. 

"  Your  kind  suggestion,"  he  began,  "  called  to 
mind  a  yarn  I  heard  of  Captain  Courtesy  and  a 
button,  or  rather  a  set  of  buttons."  It  was  with 
difficulty  that  he  related  the  following,  so  humor 
ously  did  it  appeal  to  him.  "  It's  most  amusing," 
he  resumed  with  a  laugh.  "  This  —  eh  —  high 
wayman  —  one  night  held  up  a  Mexican,  who 
vowed  he  hadn't  a  dollar,  but  the  captain  had 
heard  the  clink  of  coins  in  the  rascal's  saddle-bags. 
He  was  not  to  be  duped,  let  me  tell  you.  He  de 
manded  the  gold  and  the  Mexican  was  obliged  to 
deliver.  Then,  to  teach  the  fellow  a  lesson  for 
lying  to  him,  our  captain  stripped  the  rogue  of  the 
silver  buttons  shining  so  bravely  on  his  jacket." 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  narrative  Courtesy 
laughed  again  and  looked  expectantly  at  Eleanor. 

"  I  see  nothing  humorous  in  that,"  she  solemnly 
declared. 

122 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


It  was  quite  clear  to  him  that  she  had  missed  the 
point.  "  But  don't  you  understand,  Senorita,  that 
if  the  Mexican  had  dealt  honestly  —  told  the  truth 
• —  not  lied  —  he  might  have  kept  his  silver  but 
tons?" 

"  Honestly?  What  of  Captain  Courtesy,  him 
self?  " 

"What  of  him?" 

"  Why  should  a  highwayman,  a  thief,  a  des 
perado,  expect  to  be  dealt  with  honestly  ?  "  she 
asked  scornfully.  "  If  the  Mexican  was  wrong  to 
lie  —  how  much  worse  was  the  captain  to  steal !  " 

"  Oh,  come  now,  Senorita,  you're  hard  on  Cour 
tesy." 

"  He's  a  thief,  an  outlaw !  That's  the  best  I 
know  of  him.  The  Virgin  alone  knows  the  worst." 

The  highwayman  felt  himself  grossly  wronged. 
"  You  don't  consider  what  he  has  done  for  Cali 
fornia,"  he  expostulated. 

At  this,  indignation  lit  up  her  eyes.  "  That's 
123 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


only  his  excuse  to  break  the  laws  of  God  and  man," 
she  exclaimed. 

Her  charge  stung  him,  like  a  slap  in  the  face. 
He  could  not  realize  that  they  had  ever  laughed 
across  that  table. 

"  She  is  like  a  volcano,"  he  thought ;  "  I  have 
been  dreaming ;  an  eruption  has  awakened  me." 
Nevertheless  he  was  quick  to  recover.  He  smiled 
indifferently  and  asked,  "  If  Courtesy  were  in  your 
power,  Senorita,  I  suppose  you  would  give  him  up 
to  the  law?" 

"  I  would !  " 

"  That  means  to  the  Mexicans,"  he  laughed ; 
"  you  wouldn't  do  that !  "  He  shook  his  head. 

"  I'm  sure  I  would,  Senor,"  she  returned  in 
tensely.  "  I  am  not  one  of  those  who  admire  this 
outlaw,  I  pity  him.  If  he  does  all  the  good  that  is 
said  of  him  he  must  know  better  than  to  be  so  great 
a  criminal,"  she  concluded  with  magnificent  con 
tempt.  Justice,  in  the  discovery  of  a  fraud,  hav- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ing  torn  the  bandage  from  her  eyes,  might  have 
looked  less  scornful. 

Courtesy  was  stunned.  As  his  wits  reassembled, 
he  thought,  "  The  volcano  has  precipitated  an 
earthquake ;  I  have  been  engulfed."  This  thought 
he  conjured  as  a  jest.  There  are  certain  men  who 
ward  off  hard  knocks  with  lightness.  This  does 
not  necessarily  indicate  indifference;  it  rather  por 
tends  courage.  The  captain  was  generously  en 
dowed  with  this  sort  of  bravery.  Never  had  it 
done  so  well  by  him  as  now.  His  smile  was  a  mask 
concealing  his  distress.  "  Evidently,  Seiiorita,"  he 
remarked  genially,  "  this  is  the  one  subject  upon 
which  we  cannot  agree." 


125 


'THESE  WOMEN  BE  ALL  SUCH 
MAD  AND  PEEVISH  ELVES" 


CHAPTER  IX 


ROM  the  veranda  Eleanor  watched  the 
captain  and  Viviena  moving  off  in  the 
direction  of  the  wine  presses.  The  wid 
ow's  easy  manner  of  appropriating  a  man  usually 
amused  the  padre's  ward,  but  now  she  resented  it. 
Viviena  had  taken  it  as  a  matter  of  course  that  the 
visitor  should  be  interested. 

"  We  are  making  wine  today,"  she  had  said. 
"  I  have  heard  of  the  San  Gabriel  vintage,"  he 
had  returned. 

"  It  is  the  best  in  California,"  she  had  boasted. 
"  You  know,  Senor,  I  am  mayordomo  here.  Will 
you  see  how  I  manage?  " 

Eleanor  felt  grateful  to  the  guest  for  hesitating. 
She  had  been  obliged,  however,  to  dismiss  him. 
129 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Go,  Sefior,"  she  had  insisted,  and  added  with  a 
smile,  "  If  you  do  not,  we  shall  be  quarreling  over 
Captain  Courtesy." 

"  She  surrenders  you  to  my  mercy,"  the  widow 
had  laughed. 

"  Mercy  from  a  woman !  I  am  at  your  serv 
ice,"  had  been  the  stranger's  exclamation. 

Apparently  they  had  accepted  each  other  as 
comrades  immediately.  One  might  have  fancied, 
seeing  how  gaily  they  went,  that  their  acquaint 
anceship  spanned  years,  not  minutes. 

In  sombrero,  ankle  skirt,  and  diminutive  boots, 
the  widow  was  calculated  to  attract  even  the  least 
susceptible  of  men.  Her  head  reached  just  to  her 
companion's  shoulder,  and  it  seemed  to  Eleanor  — 
who  was  now  standing  on  the  well  coping  that  she 
might  the  longer  keep  them  in  sight  —  that  Vivi- 
ena  walked  unnecessarily  close  to  that  shoulder. 

"  I  suppose  she  is  much  prettier  than  I,"  sighed 
the  padre's  ward.  Psyche-like,  she  leaned  over  the 
130 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


well  and  entreated  it  to  contradict  her.  It  did. 
She  was  smiling  at  her  own  image  when  suddenly 
Granville's  face  was  reflected  beside  hers  and  she 
felt  his  arm  about  her. 

"  How  you  startled  me,"  she  exclaimed,  pushing 
him  away ;  "  George,  behave." 

"  Behave  ?  "  he  echoed ;  "  it's  no  crime  to  em 
brace  the  woman  you  adore." 

"  Adore,"  she  laughed ;  "  you  don't  know  the 
meaning  of  the  word." 

"  I'm  doing  my  best  to  learn ;  I  fancy  you  as  a 
teacher." 

"  Then  learn  that  love  is  not  a  thing  to  be  taught 
• —  it  must  come  to  you." 

"  It  has  come  —  to  you,  Eleanor?  " 

She  laughed  again.  "  I  am  twenty,  and  a 
woman !  " 

"  By  Jove,  you're  an  empress." 

"  And  this  is  broad  day-light,  with  not  even  a 
moon,"  she  chided.  "  Under  the  circumstances  it 
131 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


would  be  very  difficult  for  you  to  be  convincing. 
Still,  even  if  you  were  convincing,  I  do  not  think 
I  could  believe  you." 

"  You  don't  believe  I  love  you  ?  "  He  asked  this 
with  a  fine  air  of  injury. 

"  Like  someone,  whose  name  I  cannot  recall  and 
whom  you  probably  would  not  know  anyway  — 
you  protest  too  much,"  she  replied  roguishly. 

"  If  I  didn't  speak,  how  should  you  know  ?  " 
he  objected. 

"  When  I  am  loved,"  and  she  colored  a  trifle  as 
she  spoke  —  and  spoke  seriously  —  "  I  shall  know 
without  a  word." 

"How?" 

She  became  almost  solemn.  She  did  not  look  at 
him  but  stared  down  at  her  own  reflection  in  the 
well  and  answered :  "  I  shall  know  by  something 
intangible,  yet  real,  very  real ;  by  something  which 
a  thousand  pretty  speeches  might  not  express,  yet 
which  could  be  told  in  one  glance  of  the  eye." 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


He  took  her  by  the  shoulders  so  that  she  was 
obliged  to  face  him.  "  Look  me  in  the  eye,"  he 
commanded.  "  Now,  what  do  you  see  there  ?  " 

She  shrank  from  him  and  replied,  "  Something 
that  makes  me  afraid." 

"  By  God,  you  do  love  me,"  he  cried  triumph 
antly  and  took  a  step  toward  her,  but  paused  at  the 
sight  of  Jocoso,  who  was  approaching  from  the 
priest's  house. 

Eleanor  turned  to  him  with  relief.  "  Senor 
Jocoso,"  she  exclaimed  with  ready  invention,  "  you 
are  looking  for  Senora  Marshall.  She  is  here. 
I'll  find  her  for  you."  With  that,  she  ran  lightly 
across  the  garden  and  disappeared  behind  the  bell 
tower.  Granville  cursed  Jocoso  and  hurried  after 
her. 

The  Mexican  sat  on  the  well  coping  and  rolled  a 
cigarette.  Presently,  Tim,  bearing  a  huge  Indian 
bowl,  filled  with  wine,  came  toward  him. 

"  In  bowl  —  what  is  ?  "  asked  Jocoso. 
133 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Grape  juice,"  rejoined  the  youth,  resting  the 
bowl  on  the  well  rim.  "  Try  some?  It's  fresh 
from  th'  vine."  He  picked  up  a  gourd,  rinsed  it 
and  dipped  a  generous  drink  from  the  bowl. 

Jocoso  drained  the  cup.  "  Vino  superior,"  he 
exclaimed. 

"  Sweet,"  commented  Tim ;  "  gallon  of  it  would 
n't  hurt  ye." 

"  Go !  Geet  out !  "  ordered  the  Mexican,  catch 
ing  sight  of  Viviena. 

"  Oh,"  laughed  the  lad,  embracing  the  bowl  and 
making  off  with  it  to  the  mission. 

Apparently  the  widow  did  not  see  Jocoso,  for 
she  was  passing  him,  a  dozen  yards  away,  in  deep 
meditation. 

"  Sefiora,"  he  called.  His  voice  was  clear,  yet 
she  seemed  not  to  hear.  "  Senora  Marshallo,"  he 
cried,  starting  after  her. 

She  turned  now,  seeming  vastly  astonished. 
"  Oh,  Senor  Jocoso!  What  are  you  doing  here?  " 
134 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"What  use  I  tell  you  that,  Senora?  Si,  you 
sahe."  He  grinned. 

She  looked  at  the  gourd  in  his  hand.  "  The  new 
wine  has  gone  to  your  head,  Senor." 

"  Si,  like  you,  it  is  sweet ;  like  you,  it  to  my  head 
goes." 

"  You  are  perfectly  ridiculous,"  she  remarked 
placidly,  taking  a  seat  on  the  veranda  under  the 
mission  eaves. 

He  drew  up  a  chairs  confidentially  close  and,  with 
a  huge  sigh,  said,  "  Then,  Senora,  what  the  use  I 
put  together  my  head  to  make  offer  of  gift  to  you 
of  my  heart."  He  held  out  his  arm  beseechingly 
to  her. 

"  Oh  yes,  there's  some  use,"  she  observed,  benevo 
lently. 

Jocoso  was  electrified.  "  Ah,  querida  mia,  I  ex 
plode,  you  give  me  so  much  happiness." 

"  I  am  very  glad  I  have  made  you  so  happy ;  I 
hope,  though,  that  it  will  agree  with  you." 
135 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  I  will  be  your  excellent  husbandman,"  he  an 
nounced  with  enthusiasm. 

"What?     Farmer?" 

"  No,  no!  "  Jocoso  groaned  and  rumpled  up 
his  hair  despairingly.  "  I  will  be  your  excellent 
husband  sefior." 

"  N-o !  "     The  widow  laughed  divinely. 

"  You  laugh  becows  I  trip  down  by  your  Ingles 
word  ?  Or  becows  of  my  loaf  ?  " 

"  Becows  of  your  Ingles"  she  mimicked,  twirl 
ing  an  imaginary  moustache. 

"  I  no  care  for  that,"  he  chuckled,  "  so  long, 
Senora,  you  make  return  of  my  loaf.  What  you 
e-speak  back?  " 

"N-o!" 

"  Ah,"  groaned  Jocoso,  "  I  am  too  villainous  for 
querida  mia." 

"  True,  Sefior,  you  are  not  good  enough  for  me, 
but  if  woman  waited  until  man  were  good  enough 
for  her  —  there  would  be  few  marriages." 
136 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Jocoso  revived.  "  Then  what  the  obstruction 
to  me?  E-speak  quick.  I  plunge  over  him." 

"  Don't  plunge  too  rashly,"  warned  Viviena. 
"  On  certain  conditions  I  might  accept  you."  She 
glowingly  inspected  him. 

He  snapped  his  fingers.  "  How  generous ! 
What  it  is?  "  He  had  become  happy  again. 

"  You  must  discard  that  uniform ;  fight  for  our 
revolution." 

"  Querida  mla  like  to  make  joke  with  me,"  he 
laughed. 

"  I  am  serious,"  she  insisted. 

"  Serious !  No,  no!  You  no  ask  me  be  dishon 
orable  to  my  countrymen  !  " 

"You  are  afraid!" 

"Afraid?"  he  snapped.  "Fear  is  the  pup- 
dog  of  the  coward  —  not  me.  It  is  honor !  " 

"  I  did  not  know  there  was  such  a  word  in  the 
Mexican  vocabulary,"  she  retorted.  "  Certainly 
your  countrymen's  acts  give  us  no  proof  that  they 
137 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


understand  it.  Honor  is  a  big  word  and  a  fine  one. 
It  cannot  be  familiar  to  those  who  drive  peace-lov 
ing  Americans  from  their  homes,  homes  which  we 
have  made  for  ourselves  in  this  beautiful  land,  a 
land  that  God  gave  us  as  well  as  you  Mexicans." 

"  What  difference  that  make  for  us,  Senora  ?  " 
he  asked  simply.  "  I  loaf  you." 

"  Shall  I  accept  as  my  husband  one  whose  sword 
is  at  the  service  of  those  who  seek  to  crush  my 
brothers  and  sisters  ?  " 

"  Do  not  be  so  tempestuous,  Senora,"  he  en 
treated.  "  Be  with  me  sociable." 

"  No,"  she  exclaimed  solemnly ;  and  rising, 
added  half  tenderly,  half  defiantly,  "When  you 
have  disavowed  allegiance  to  Mexico,  and  shown 
your  sympathy  for  our  cause,  then  will  I  be  yours 
—  hand,  head,  and  heart." 

"  Ah,  Senora,"  he  murmured,  "  you  make  me 
magnificently  miserable." 

"I'm  sorry,  Jocoso."  Her  lips  quivered.  She 
138 


"COME  TO  ME  WHEN  You  ARE  NOT  A  MEXICAN  OFFICER" 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


turned  away  from  him  and  started  across  the  gar 
den. 

He  stopped  her.  "  Let  me  be  with  you  a  little 
bit  yet,"  he  besought. 

She  faced  him  again.  "  No !  .  .  .  Come  to 
me  when  you  are  not  a  Mexican  officer ;  and  —  come 
—  soon !  "  She  fled  from  him. 

Jocoso,  almost  in  tears,  rode  slowly  back  to  the 
presidio.  He  was  .sitting  mournfully  on  the  edge 
of  his  couch,  wishing  that  he  might  die  of  his  grief, 
when  Granville  burst  in  upon  him.  The  American, 
who  was  in  a  savage  humor,  paused  at  the  sight  of 
the  Mexican's  woeful  countenance  and  began  to 
laugh. 

"  Laugh  now,  Senor,  I  twist  your  neck,"  Jocoso 
threatened. 

"What's  riled  you?"  asked  Granville. 

"  Ah,  Senora  Marshallo !  Madre  de  Dios!  I 
go  hang  myself." 

"  For  once,  Jocoso,  we  are  in  sympathy." 
139 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"Ho,     ho!     Senorita     Eleanor?     Is     it     so?" 

"  She's  flouted  me.  I'll  not  endure  it."  Gran- 
ville  began  pacing  the  floor. 

"  You  hang  yourself  also?  " 

"  Hang  priests  and  highwaymen !  Wait ! " 
Granville  flung  himself  into  a  chair  and  studied  his 
boots.  "  Gad,  if  you  only  had  backbone,"  he  ex 
claimed  ;  "  if  you  dared  —  you  might  have  this 
widow." 

"  I  am  dangerous  to  do  anything  —  so  I  have 
her." 

"  That  makes  it  easy,  then." 

"  Quef  " 

"  Jocoso,  you  want  Senora  Marshall  above  every 
thing  else  in  the  world;  I'd  give  my  soul  for 
Eleanor." 

"  Siy  si;  me  also!     Dios!  "     He  was  in  despair. 

"  They  are  devoted  to  each  other,  are  they  not  ?  " 

"  As  is  twins,  Senor." 

Granville  gnawed  the  ends  of  his  moustache  re- 
140 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


flectively.  "  Suppose,"  he  presently  suggested, 
"  that  one  of  them  —  Eleanor,  for  instance  —  were 
in  great  trouble  and  it  were  in  your  power  to  extri 
cate  her  —  would  not  Senora  Marshall  repay 
you?" 

"  Si,  si,  but  it  is  possible  not  I  do  that." 

"  It  is  possible.    .    .    .      Arrest  Eleanor !  " 

Jccoso  looked  at  his  companion  blankly. 

"  Don't  you  understand  ?  "  asked  Granville  with 
impatience. 

"  You  have  jumped  out  of  your  head.  Arrest 
Senorita  Eleanor !  Excellent !  For  what?  Ah !  " 
Jocoso  rolled  his  eyes  mockingly. 

"  For  treason,"  was  the  succinct  reply. 

"  Treason  ?  "  The  Mexican  grinned.  He  in 
deed  began  to  think  Granville's  mind  affected. 
"  Accounth  what  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Secret  despatches.  They  were  stolen  from 
Castro's  messenger.  They  are  now  under  a  hearth 
stone  in  the  mission." 

141 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Jocoso  dropped  his  cigarette,  amazed.  "  Santi- 
slma!  How  you  know  that?"  he  gasped. 

"  That's  my  affair.  It's  enough  for  you  that 
the  despatches,  intended  for  his  Excellency,  are  now 
in  the  possession  of  Eleanor  Brinton  at  the  San 
Gabriel  Mission.  Get  a  detail.  Arrest  her ! " 
This  was  not  a  suggestion ;  it  was  a  command. 

The  Mexican  meditated  and  slowly  shook  his 
head.  "  I  no  like  that,"  he  objected. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  Granville  at  once  became  bel 
ligerent. 

"  She  is  too  adorable,  Senor." 

"  You  sentimental  idiot,  it's  got  to  be  done  just 
the  same." 

Jocoso  looked  at  his  companion  cunningly  and 
asked,  "  Why  you  want  me  do  that?  " 

"  It's  very  simple.  You  place  her  under  arrest. 
You  are,  of  course,  very  sorry,  but  you  are  only 
obeying  Castro's  orders.  You  will  keep  her  in  cus 
tody  here  for  a  while.  Then  we  will  exert  our  influ- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ence  and  secure  her  release.  Senora  Marshall  will 
reward  you,  Senorita  Eleanor  reward  me." 

"  A7o/  "  exclaimed  Jocoso  angrily. 

"  I  give  you  the  order.  Your  colonel  gives  you 
the  order.  You  are  obliged  to  execute  it,  and  at 
once." 

The  Mexican  sprang  up  with  an  oath.  "  Some 
day  I  tell  you  —  Castro  also  —  go  to  Inferno.  I 
think  you  got  something  in  your  head  you  no 
e-speak.  Well,  I  only  Mexican  officer.  I  got  to 
obey.  But  me  tell  you,  you  are  the  damn,  damn, 
damn  Americano." 


143 


"THE  SMALLEST  GOD,  BUT 
THE  MIGHTIEST" 


CHAPTER  X 

"  THE   SMALLEST  GOD,   BUT  THE  MIGHTIEST  " 

HE  invasion  of  love  resembles  the  rise  of 
the  tide.  Now  it  creeps  with  confident 
deliberation  and  silently  takes  posses 
sion;  again  it  leaps  like  an  Arcadian  flood  and 
boldly  overwhelms. 

Captain  Courtesy  was  overwhelmed.  He  had 
heard  the  alarm  but,  fascinated  by  the  phenome 
non,  he  had  not  beaten  a  retreat.  Now  he  was 
panic-stricken.  Here  was  a  man,  who  made  a  ver 
itable  companion  of  danger,  standing  in  fear  of  a 
woman. 

For  a  time,  this  brave  man  became  a  coward. 
He  was  preparing  to  fly  from  something  which  he 
could  not  escape.  His  hands  trembled  as  he  made 
fast  his  saddle  girth ;  and,  although  the  warm  mid 
day  sun  shone  upon  him,  cold  perspiration  damp- 
147 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ened  his  brow.     Only  the  call  of  gratitude  induced 
him  to  pause  and  knock  at  the  mission  door. 

It  was  opened  to  him  by  Eleanor.  She  gazed 
from  the  man  to  his  mare,  with  an  involuntary  look 
of  distress,  and  asked  wistfully,  "  You  must  go  ?  " 

"  You  care  ?  "  he  questioned  in  wonder. 

"  You  are  very  good  company."  She  smiled 
adorably,  dropped  her  eyes  before  his,  and  re 
treated  a  step. 

He  suddenly  became  warm  about  the  heart.  A 
wild  desire  to  laugh  possessed  him.  It  was  simply 
that  he  was  no  longer  afraid.  He  turned  to  his 
mare  and  said,  half  humorously,  "  We'll  stay 
awhile,  Paquita ! " 

Following  Eleanor  within,  the  captain  noted  that 
the  heavy  table,  at  which  he  had  sat  with  her  at 
breakfast,  had  been  moved  to  a  window  and  that  it 
now  bore  a  bowl  of  wine. 

"  You   must  taste  our  wine,   Setter,"  said  the 
girl,  offering  him  a  glass. 
148 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  To  your  happiness,  Seiiorita,"  returned  he. 
When  he  had  put  down  the  goblet,  he  drew  up  a 
stool  close  to  where  she  sat  sewing. 

"  See,"  she  chided,  "  you  interrupted  me.  I 
must  be  industrious  now." 

"Do  you  know  what  I  would  like  to  do?"  he 
inquired  absently. 

She  professed  to  be  ignorant. 

"  Stay  here,"  he  announced. 

Perhaps  it  was  his  look  more  than  his  words  that 
disconcerted  her.  The  knowledge  that  she  was 
blushing  made  her  furious  with  herself.  Her  re 
joinder,  however,  gave  no  clue  to  her  embarrass 
ment  :  "  There  is  no  place  quite  so  beautiful  as 
San  Gabriel." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Senorita."  For  an  instant 
he  became  audacious  and  added,  "  But  it's  a  dan 
gerous  spot." 

"Yes,"  she  replied,  with  assumed  innocence, 
"  though,  once  the  United  States  Government  in- 
149 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


tervenes,  and  we  have  gained  a  victory  over  the 
Mexicans,  we  shall  have  independence.  Don't  you 
think  so?" 

"  I've  no  doubt  of  that,  but  I  was  referring  to  — 
eh  —  well  — "  He  paused,  his  courage  deserting 
him  again. 

Eleanor  was  apparently  deeply  interested  in  her 
work.  He  watched  her,  marveling  at  her  beauty, 
and  began  to  feel  how  utterly  unworthy  he  was  of 
her  —  not  for  the  reason  that  he  was  a  highway 
man  ;  indeed,  he  did  not  think  of  that  —  but  simply 
because  he  was  a  man. 

When  love  floods  the  heart,  conceit  vacates  the 
head.  "  Yesterday,"  thought  the  captain,  "  I 
measured  six  feet ;  to-day  I  am  but  six  inches." 

Your  true  lover  is  at  once  disarmed  by  humble 
ness,  which,  of  course,  begets  timidity.  Fancy  a 
man,  intent  upon  taking  a  citadel,  knocking 
meekly  at  the  gate,  expecting  it  to  fall  and  the  gar 
rison  to  surrender.  That  strange  citadel,  a  wom- 
150 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


an's  heart,  may  yearn  to  capitulate,  but  pride 
insists  upon  defense.  So  it  often  becomes  an  al 
most  inaccessible  fortress,  and  the  more  thorough 
the  defences,  the  greater  the  charm.  A  woman's 
every  mark  of  beauty  contributes  to  a  formidable 
armament,  and  at  the  same  time  challenges  desire. 
Thus  she  at  once  becomes  a  terror  and  a  fascina 
tion. 

To  overcome  this  native  humbleness  and  to  as 
sume  a  confidence  must  be  the  lover's  first  care,  be 
fore  he  can  hope  to  endure  even  the  battery  of  her 
eyes.  Mindful  of  this,  Captain  Courtesy  broke  the 
silence  by  saying,  "  What  do  you  think,  Senorita? 
I  was  baptized  Leonardo !  " 

"  Leonardo,"  echoed  Eleanor,  lingering  over  the 
name. 

"  You  know  what  it  means  ?  " 

"Yes  — brave!" 

He  laughed  ruefully.  "  And  yet  I  haven't  the 
courage  to  — "  He  halted,  panic-stricken  once 
151 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


more,  for  she  had  suddenly  looked  at  him.  Then 
he  continued  desperately,  catching  sight  of  a  bou 
quet  on  the  dresser,  "  I  think  that  the  prettiest 
roses  I  have  ever  seen  grow  here."  He  took  a  rose 
from  a  vase.  "  I  wish  you'd  wear  it,"  he  finished 
and  resumed  his  seat. 

"  It's  a  blush  rose ;  at  least  that's  what  I  call 
her,"  remarked  Eleanor,  taking  the  flower.  "  In 
the  morning  she's  pink  and  at  night  turns  red." 

"  A  fickle  flower,  Senorita." 

"  No,  modest,"  she  insisted.  "  When  the  sun 
stares  at  her,  she  blushes  crimson  deep  for  shame." 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  language  of  flow 
ers?" 

"  Y-e-s,"   she    answered    cautiously,   wondering 

what  he  was  leading  to. 

"  What  has  your  rose  to  say  for  herself?  " 
She  smiled  at  his  whim,  placed  the  rose  to  her  ear 

and  replied,  "  I  can't  make  out  —  it  whispers  — 

only  whispers." 

152 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Ah,  there's  the  truth,"  he  exclaimed,  rising  and 
pacing  the  floor ;  "  it  can  only  be  whispered  —  only 
be  whispered." 

"  If  all  her  petals  were  tongues,  she  could  not 
tell  half  the  story."  Although  she  spoke  lowly, 
he  heard  and  went  to  her. 

"Could  you?"  he  asked,  bending  near  to  her 
shoulder. 

"  I  am  not  a  man,  Senor ! " 

"  No,  thank  God,  you're  a  woman,"  he  cried  im 
pulsively,  "  and  —  "  Here  she  gazed  up  at  him  so 
that  he  faltered  and  stumbled  on  thus :  "  and  — 
can  wield  a  needle."  He  eagerly  displayed  his 
poverty  of  buttons. 

Eleanor  laughed,  much  relieved,  and  said,  "  I 
had  forgot."  She  handed  him  a  small  Indian 
basket  full  of  odds  and  ends.  "  You  may  look 
for  a  button  to  match,"  she  ordered,  "  while  I 
thread  a  needle." 

He  found  a  button  which  might  consort  with  the 
153 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


others,  provided  one  were  gifted  with  imagination. 
"  Here,  this  will  do,"  said  he. 

Eleanor  was  obliged  to  mount  a  stool  in  order 
easily  to  reach  the  place  of  attack,  which  was  imme 
diately  over  the  region  of  his  heart.  Of  course, 
he  was  compelled  to  stand  close  to  her.  Fearful 
that  she  might  fall  from  so  giddy  a  height,  he  felt 
obliged  to  steady  her.  This  he  accomplished  by 
laying  a  hand  on  her  arm. 

"  They  are  perfect  mates,"  she  laughed,  refer 
ring  to  the  buttons. 

"  They  are  glorious,"  he  rejoined,  thinking  of 
her  eyes.  That  he  was  tempted  to  take  her  in  his 
arms  should  not  be  held  against  him,  since  a  woman 
exercises  a  sort  of  clairvoyant  influence  over  her 
lover,  lulling  his  conscience  and  awakening  his  emo 
tions.  Whether  she  works  by  intent  or  by  acci 
dent,  the  spell  is  equally  potent. 

It  is  quite  likely  that  Eleanor  had  at  least  a  sub 
conscious  knowledge  of  her  power  upon  the  cap- 
154 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


tain.  She  was  now  sewing  furiously.  "  How  your 
—  your  heart  beats !  "  she  exclaimed.  Then  she 
laughed  nervously  and  wondered  what  had  pos 
sessed  her  to  say  such  a  thing. 

"  Yes,"  he  returned,  with  a  sigh,  "  I've  an  affec 
tion." 

She  was  on  the  point  of  asking  if  it  were  a  seri 
ous  one,  when  he  caught  her  hands.  In  a  flutter, 
she  stepped  backward  from  the  stool  and  away 
from  him,  keeping  him  a  willing  prisoner,  never 
theless,  at  the  end  of  the  thread.  Reaching  for  a 
pair  of  shears,  she  drew  him  toward  her  again  but 
only  to  sever  the  bond.  Immediately  she  had  re 
leased  him,  he  seized  her  hand,  saying  with  great 
earnestness,  "  Eleanor,  you  are  joy,  tears,  and 
music  to  me !  " 

As  he  spoke,  the  garden  door  opened  and  Jocoso, 

followed  by  a  half-dozen  presidio  soldiers,  entered 

the  room.     Behind  them,  in  haste  and  trepidation, 

came   Viviena   Marshall,    Tim    Burke,    and   Gray 

155 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Feather.  Last  of  all,  in  seeming  perturbance,  hur 
ried  George  Granville. 

Captain  Courtesy's  first  thought  was  that  Gran 
ville  had  betrayed  him  and  he  began  considering  a 
means  of  escape  and  a  method  of  revenge. 

"  Muchas  excusas,  Senorita,"  commenced  Jo- 
coso,  with  an  elaborate  bow.  "  I  am  commanded 
to  make  investigation  of  premises." 

"  For  what  ?  "  asked  Eleanor. 

"  Certain  despatches !  "  replied  the  Mexican. 

"  It  is  an  outrage,"  put  in  Granville. 

"  Jocoso,  you're  a  fool !  "  added  the  widow. 

"  I  cannot  avoid  that,"  he  rejoined. 

"  What  are  these  despatches  ?  "  inquired  the  cap 
tain. 

"  I  know  only  they  are  here  —  there !  "  Jocoso 
pointed  to  the  hearthstone  and  ordered  two  Mexi 
cans  to  raise  it. 

Eleanor  bit  her  lip  and  moved  close  to  Courtesy 
as  though  for  protection.  A  third  soldier  drew  the 
156 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


packet  from  under  the  stone  and  handed  it  to 
Jocoso,  who  gave  it  a  hurried  glance  and  addressed 
himself  to  Eleanor. 

"  Ten  million  excusas,  Senorita ;  I  have  got  to 
arrest  you."  He  took  a  step  toward  her,  when 
Courtesy  interposed. 

"  Pardon,  Senor,"  said  he,  snatching  the  des 
patches.  "  See  here,"  he  went  on  quickly ;  "  these 
are  addressed  to  Castro !  " 

"  Of  course.  We  know  that.  Why  you  inter 
fere?  I  arrest  you,  too,  maybe."  Jocoso  was 
angry. 

The  captain  laughed.  "  I  thought  you  might 
be  interested  to  know  how  this  packet  came  here." 

"  Obliged  you  do  tell,"  returned  Jocoso,  some 
what  mollified. 

"  You   may   take   my   word,"   began    Courtesy, 

"  that  Senorita  Brinton  had  no  knowledge  of  the 

existence  of  these  papers,  much  less  that  they  were 

under  the  hearthstone.     They  were  hidden  there, 

157 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


I  may  tell  you,  unknown  to  her,  by  the  man  who 
stole  them  from  Castro's  courier." 

"  You  mean  el  Capitan  Cortesia?  " 

"The  same!" 

"  How  you  know  that  ?  " 

The  highwayman  gave  one  swift  look  about  the 
room.  There  were  Mexicans  at  every  door.  Only 
the  window  was  unguarded  and  without  he  saw 
Paquita  cropping  the  grass.  Between  him  and  the 
window,  and  close  to  it,  was  the  heavy  oak  table 
and  on  top  of  that  the  huge  Indian  bowl  filled  with 
wine.  He  was  standing  near  the  table,  with  Elea 
nor  on  his  left  and  Jocoso  on  his  right.  He  turned 
to  her  and  gave  her  a  look  of  great  tenderness; 
then  faced  Jocoso  again. 

The  Mexican  was  impatiently  asking,  "  How  you 
know  el  Capitan  Cortesia  stole  despatches,  also  how 
he  hide  them  here?" 

"  For  the  reason,"  said  the  captain,  with  delib 
eration,  "  that  I  am  Captain  Courtesy." 
158 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


The  shock  of  this  announcement  benumbed  his 
hearers  for  a  moment;  but,  as  he  sprang  upon  the 
table,  Jocoso  and  his  soldiers  started  forward  with 
a  shout.  Whereupon  the  outlaw  deftly  raised  the 
wine  bowl  with  his  boot  and  showered  its  contents 
over  the  Mexicans.  Then  he  leaped  through  the 
window,  flung  himself  on  Paquita's  back  and,  with 
the  despatches  tucked  in  his  jacket,  raced  away 
before  his  enemies  had  so  much  as  mopped  the  wine 
from  their  faces.  So,  by  the  time  they  raised 
the  hue  and  cry  after  him,  Captain  Courtesy  was 
far  beyond  overtaking,  well  on  his  way  to  Ran- 
chito. 


159 


'A  THING  THAT  CREEPS  AND 
CANNOT  GO" 


CHAPTER  XI 

IAT    CREEPS    AND 

HROUGHOUT  the  long  afternoon,  which 
followed  the  captain's  exploit,  Eleanor's 
heart  was  the  centre  of  an  emotional 
tempest.  She  was  at  once  indignant  against  Cour 
tesy  and  solicitous  for  his  welfare.  That  he  had 
come  to  the  mission  in  the  guise  of  an  honest  man, 
she  regarded  as  despicable;  that  he  disclosed  his 
identity  to  save  her,  she  considered  sublime.  As  a 
highwayman,  she  held  that  he  was  entitled  only  to 
her  scorn ;  as  her  protector,  she  felt  that  he  was 
deserving  of  her  gratitude.  She  almost  hated  him 
for  his  deceit  and  almost  loved  him  for  his  courage. 
Finally  her  thoughts  became  so  confused  that 
she  could  make  no  distinctions ;  only  she  began  to 
feel  a  sort  of  pity  for  him,  a  kind  of  compassion 
for  herself.  The  storm  in  her  breast  subsided. 
163 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Her  troubled  spirit  grew  calm,  yet  with  the  calm 
came  a  sadness  greater  than  she  had  ever  known. 

With  the  approach  of  evening,  peace  also  set 
tled  over  San  Gabriel,  and  now  the  stillness  was 
rhythmically  broken  by  the  mission  chimes  ringing 
the  angelus. 

From  where  Eleanor  sat  at  a  window,  she  looked 
with  a  new  sympathy  upon  all  her  world.  Far  off 
—  on  a  hill-side,  partly  covered  with  redwood 
chaparral  and  below  that  a  belt  of  laurel  and  then 
a  wide  ragged  fringe  of  sage  bush  —  she  saw  the 
smoke  rising  from  a  small  adobe  dwelling,  the  home 
of  an  Indian  woman  who  had  lost  her  husband. 
The  girl's  heart  went  out  to  her.  At  the  foot  of 
the  slope,  where  the  land  rolled  out  broadly,  spread 
groves  of  almond,  peach,  pear,  orange,  and  pome 
granate  trees.  There  she  saw  a  party  of  neo 
phytes,  their  heads  bowed,  listening  to  the  angelus. 
It  was  a  familiar  scene,  and  yet  it  moved  her 
strangely.  Between  the  grove  and  the  garden, 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


which  lay  in  front  of  her  window,  was  a  stretch  of 
land  upon  which  the  wild  mustard  spread  thickly, 
like  a  carpet  of  woven  sunbeams.  Eleanor  had 
ever  considered  this  riotous  plant  an  enemy ;  now 
she  was  impressed  with  its  beauty.  The  garden, 
itself,  turned  her  thoughts  to  the  padre,  for  it  was 
there  that  she  first  saw  him,  when  she  was  a  child; 
and  she  remembered  how  he  had  comforted  her, 
leading  her  by  the  hand  among  the  flowers  and 
naming  them  for  her. 

The  garden  was  now  much  as  it  was  then.  It 
was  set  out  not  regularly  but  profusely  with  fan- 
like  palms,  flaming  beds  of  geraniums,  clusters  of 
vari-colored  carnations,  canopies  of  grape-vines 
from  which  the  ripe  fruit  hung  like  purple  tassels, 
spots  of  yellow-flowered  musk,  hordes  of  poppies, 
and  a  withered  pomegranate  mantled  with  pink 
roses;  while  nodding  before  her  eyes  were  sprays 
of  verbena,  which  climbed  daringly  over  the  case 
ment. 

165 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


She  could  see,  in  fancy,  the  noble,  kindly  figure 
of  the  padre,  setting  up  anew  a  flower  broken  by 
a  storm,  just  as  he  might  care  for  a  soul  crushed 
by  misery.  Eleanor's  eyes  filled  as  she  thought  of 
him  and  all  that  he  had  been  to  her.  She  even 
smiled  faintly,  serene  in  the  knowledge  of  their 
love. 

Twilight  was  hurrying  and  with  it  came  the 
evening  breeze,  which  picked  up  a  delicate  scent 
here,  a  dainty  perfume  there,  and  brought  them, 
cool  and  sweet,  to  the  window. 

The  bells  in  the  tower  were  silent  again  and,  in 
the  stillness,  Eleanor  heard  a  light  footfall  upon 
the  veranda.  She  arose  eagerly  as  the  door 
opened. 

"  Viviena,  have  they  caught  him  ?  "  she  asked, 
seizing  her  by  the  arm  and  looking  into  her  face 
with  anxiety. 

"  I  don't  know,  dear,  but  I  fancy  that  the  cap 
tain  is  too  sharp  to  be  taken  even  by  my  wonder- 
166 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ful  Jocoso."  The  widow  settled  herself  beside 
Eleanor. 

"  I  have  prayed  to  the  Virgin  to  protect  him," 
confided  the  ward  of  the  padre. 

Viviena  smiled.  "  Do  you  think  that  She  would 
hear  a  prayer  for  a  highwayman  ?  " 

Eleanor  looked  at  her  reproachfully.  "  Though 
he  is  an  outlaw,  he  is  brave  and  noble.  He  risked 
his  life,  and  more,  for  me." 

"  Yes,  my  dear,  a  sacrifice  like  that  does  cover  a 
multitude  of  sins.  I  could  love  a  man  who  would 
do  so  much  for  me." 

The  hoofbeats  of  a  troop,  drawing  near  the 
mission,  reached  their  ears.  They  hastened  to  the 
door. 

"  Probably  Jocoso's  men,"  remarked  the  widow. 

"  Someone  is  dismounting  at  the  edge  of  the 
garden,"  added  Eleanor. 

"  It's  Jocoso,  himself !  "  announced  Viviena,  giv 
ing  an  unconscious  touch  to  her  coiffure, 

167 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Oh,  Viviena,  perhaps  he's  come  to  tell  us  that 
he  has  taken  Captain  Courtesy." 

"  It's  more  likely  that  he  has  come  for  you." 

"Me?" 

Viviena  nodded.  "  Jocoso's  so  stupid.  He 
might  think  it  still  his  duty  to  arrest  you  if  he 
hasn't  caught  the  captain.  But  don't  fear ;  I  shall 
manage  him."  The  widow  stepped  into  the  gar 
den  and  motioned  Eleanor  to  withdraw. 

"  Don't  keep  him  long,  Viviena.  Remember  that 
I  am  anxious."  So  saying,  Eleanor  retreated  into 
the  house  and  shut  the  door,  while  the  widow  ar 
ranged  herself  on  the  veranda  in  an  attitude  of 
graceful  preoccupation. 

Over  the  chaparral-crowned  hill  the  tip  of  the 
moon  shone,  its  light  picking  out  the  woman  from 
the  mass  of  vines  about  her,  so  that  Jocoso  saw  his 
sweetheart  at  once  as  he  pushed  through  the  palms 
and  entered  the  garden.  He  paused  for  a  moment, 
looking  at  her  with  reverence.  The  roses,  which 
168 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


grew  about  her  and  seemed  to  nestle  close  to  her, 
appeared  pale  in  the  moonlight  and  she  more  pale, 
yet  the  lovelier  for  that  in  the  eyes  of  him  who 
adored  her. 

Perhaps,  had  he  been  less  absorbed  in  the  con 
templation  of  his  ladylove,  he  might  have  heard  a 
rustle  in  the  foliage  and  detected  a  man,  in  the 
dress  of  a  Mexican  gentleman,  secreting  himself 
behind  a  palm  within  earshot  of  Viviena.  But 
Jocoso  saw  only  the  woman.  He  took  a  stride  for 
ward  and  ventured  to  call  her.  She  looked  up, 
affecting  a  pretty  surprise,  and  exclaimed,  "  Oh, 
Senor  Jocoso ! " 

He  came  closer  to  her,  bowing,  and  rolled  her 
name  musically,  "  Sefiora  Marshallo !  " 

"  How  untidy  you  are,"  she  commented,  noting 
his  travel-stained  appearance.  "  Where  have  you 
been?" 

"  Everywhere,"  was  the  answer.  "  I  hunt  el 
Capit&n  Cortesia." 

169 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  You've  caught  him  ?  "  She  asked  this  with 
seeming  indifference. 

"  Carajo!  No!  "  Jocoso  was  furious.  "  He 
has  got  the  wings  of  —  of  —  a  devil !  " 

"  Well,  Sefior,  what  will  you  do  about  it?  " 

Jocoso  was  distressed.  "  Muy  malo!  "  he 
groaned.  "  I  suppose  I  got  to  investigate.  May 
be  Senorita  Eleanor  also  involved  with  treason  of 
Cortesia." 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  Jocoso.  Eleanor  knew  noth 
ing  about  those  despatches.  It  was  just  as  Cap 
tain  Courtesy  said.  He  alone  was  the  offender." 

"But,"  objected  the  Mexican. 

Viviena  shrugged  her  shoulders  haughtily. 
"  Oh,  if  you  doubt  my  word ! " 

"But  Senora,  if  —  " 

"You  do  doubt  me!"  This  she  spoke  with  a 
tone  of  injury,  and  added  with  conviction,  "  Then 
you  do  not  love  me." 

Jocoso  was  much  affected.  "  Senora,"  he  pro- 
170 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


tested,  "  I  besiege  you,  do  not  say  so.  I  have  a 
volcano  of  loaf  for  you  here."  He  thumped  his 
chest  dramatically. 

"  If  you  really,  truly  loved  me,  Jocoso,  you 
would  believe  me  no  matter  if  you  knew  I  were  not 
telling  the  truth.  But  I  forget:  you  are  a  Mexi 
can  and  therefore  judge  us  by  your  own  base  stand 
ards." 

"  Si,  Senora,"  he  exclaimed  with  dignity,  "  I  am 
a  Mexicano  and  no  worser  becows  I  am.  I  tell  you 
there  are  so  many  noble  souls  below  el  Rio  Grande 
as  above." 

"  Then,  I  have  not  met  them."  She  shrugged 
her  pretty  shoulders. 

Jocoso  was  hurt,  but  he  stifled  a  sigh  and  re 
plied  with  unconscious  pathos,  "  Sefiora,  you  may 
e-stab  me  with  your  words  of  e-steel.  They  pierce 
my  heart,  yes;  but  just  the  same  I  endure,  I  suffer, 
becows  I  have  a  little  happiness  by  the  pain ;  also 
becows  I  am  shot-ted  already  by  your  eyes  so  many 
171 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


time,  a  few  more  holes  you  put  through  me  no  dif 
ference  make." 

Viviena  arose  impulsively  and  held  out  her  hand 
to  him,  asking  repentantly,  "  Forgive  me,  Jo- 
coso?" 

"  Si,  amigmta  mia,"  he  returned,  taking  her 
hand. 

"  And  believe  me  ?  " 

He  melted  entirely  before  her  archness.  "  Si, 
querida  mia"  he  murmured  and  kissed  her  finger 
tips. 

Viviena  looked  up  at  him  smilingly.  "  Jocoso, 
you  are  almost  irresistible.  I  wish  you  were  any 
thing  but  a  Mexican  officer." 

He  immediately  brightened  up.  "  Oh,  ho,  I  tell 
you.  I  think  about  that  muchisimo.  I  find  the 
way  out.  One  year  I  serve  more.  Then  I  e-stop 
with  resignation  honorable.  I  become  what  you 
like:  a  Chinese,  yes!  a  Eskimo!  What  care  I  so 
long  I  conquest  you.  What  you  say  now?  I  give 
172 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


you  ring,  the  kiss  of  betroth,  now,  tonight !  "  He 
took  a  ring  from  his  finger  and  tempted  her  with  it. 

It  was  difficult  for  her  to  say  no,  so  she  simply 
shook  her  head.  Jocoso,  however,  was  not  to  be 
put  down. 

"  I  no  take  it,"  he  announced.  "  Those  is  the 
words  of  your  mouth,  not  the  e-speaks  of  your 
heart.  I  shall  have  the  yes." 

Viviena  retreated  to  the  mission  door.  He  fol 
lowed  and  continued :  "  I  no  go  till  I  get  him. 
I  sit  here  in  el  moonlight  and  sunlight  and  wind 
and  rain  —  now  and  bymeby  and  always  till  I  get 
that  yes." 

In  a  panic,  she  waited  to  hear  no  more,  but 
slipped  into  the  mission  and  shut  the  door  after  her. 
Jocoso  waved  his  hand  at  the  door  and  tossed  his 
head  with  determination.  Then  he  turned  to  the 
bench  and  touched  the  worn  arm.  "  She  lay  her 
little  hand  here.  Angelita,  I  kiss  the  spot !  "  He 
did  so  with  ceremony,  without  even  looking  about 
173 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


to  see  if  anyone  were  watching.  He  would  have 
done  as  much  were  the  whole  world  attending.  He 
was  exceedingly  proud  of  his  love  and  had  no  care 
as  to  who  should  know  of  it ;  what  is  more,  he  had 
just  come  into  the  consciousness  that  there  was 
power  in  it.  For  the  first  time  in  his  courtship  he 
began  to  be  confident. 

"  I  tell  you,"  he  counseled  with  himself,  as  he 
rolled  a  cigarette  and  sat  down  on  the  well  coping ; 
"  I  beseech  her  in  her  castle,  like  did  my  many 
great-grandfather  in  Espafia  so  long  ago,  when 
they  conquest  make  by  a  great  while  time  sitting 
before  doors,  so  that  they  who  is  behind  get  so  ill 
with  seeing  them  befront,  that  they  say,  '  Diablo! 
Take  the  devil  what  you  have  desire  of  and  go ! ' 
So  with  me  is  it  to  be  also.  Si,  I  sit  through  many 
weathers  till  that  ultimatum  is  not." 


174 


'FORTUNE'S  A  JADE,  I  CARE  NOT 
WHO  TELL  HER" 


CHAPTER  XII 

"  FORTUNE'S  A  JADE,  i  CARE  NOT  WHO  TELL  HER  " 

HE  man,  who  ha4  all  the  while  stood  con 
cealed,  now  stepped  from  behind  a  palm, 
rolling  a  cigarette.  He  wore  the  trap 
pings  of  a  caballero:  a  black  sombrero,  trimmed 
with  silver  lace,  cocked  over  one  eye ;  a  suit  of  blue 
velvet  —  the  jacket  short  and  ornamented  with 
huge  metal  buttons  —  the  pantaloons  wide  and 
slashed  from  hip  to  foot,  the  gaping  seams  laced  to 
the  knee  with  silver  cord;  a  gay  scarf  tied  loosely 
over  an  embroidered  shirt  of  white  linen ;  a  crimson 
sash  knotted  about  the  waist;  undressed  deerskin 
boots  set  off  with  great  spurs;  and  a  velvet  serape 
flung  with  careless  cunning  over  his  left  shoulder. 
When  this  picturesque  figure  completed  the  man 
ufacture  of  his  cigarette,  he  approached  and  ac 
costed  Jocoso. 

177 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Buenas    naches,    Senor ! "    said    he,    politely. 

The  Mexican,  startled  from  his  reverie,  arose  and 
returned  the  salutation. 

"  Pardon,  Senor,  may  I  trouble  you  for  a 
light?  "  inquired  the  intruder. 

Jocoso  politely  offered  his  cigarette.  The 
stranger  took  it  and,  in  lighting  his  own,  extin 
guished  the  lieutenant's  and  passed  it  back,  ap 
parently  unconscious  of  his  awkwardness. 

"  Ah,"  exclaimed  Jocoso  with  a  wry  smile,  "  you 
have  thrown  him  out." 

The  other,  profusely  apologizing,  leaned  toward 
the  lieutenant,  with  cigarette  held  between  his  lips. 
As  though  to  steady  himself,  he  laid  his  left  hand 
on  Jocoso's  shoulder  and,  when  the  cigarettes 
touched  tip-to-tip,  with  his  free  hand  he  deftly 
whipped  the  lieutenant's  sword  from  out  its  scab 
bard. 

"  Maldito!  "  cried  Jocoso  in  angry  surprise. 

"  Silence,    Senor,"    commanded    the    stranger, 
178 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


pressing  the  sword  point  to  the  lieutenant's  breast. 
"  Your  hands  above  your  head." 

Jocoso  obeyed. 

His  captor  smiled  and  remarked,  "  I  beg  of  you 
to  excuse  me,  but  this  is  imperative.  Be  good 
enough  to  face  about." 

The  lieutenant  turned  his  back  and  the  stranger, 
taking  a  kerchief  from  his  jacket,  bound  Jocoso's 
hands.  That  done,  he  looked  about.  His  eye  fell 
upon  the  chapel  door,  and,  seizing  his  captive  by 
the  arm,  made  in  that  direction.  They  had  hardly 
taken  a  dozen  steps,  however,  when  the  sound  of 
voices  came  to  their  ears  and  Viviena  and  Eleanor 
appeared  at  the  mission  door. 

The  stranger  quickly  drew  his  captive  behind  a 
palm,  warning  him  in  a  whisper,  "  If  you  speak,  it 
will  be  unpleasant  for  both  of  us." 

Viviena  was  disturbed.  "  He's  gone,"  she  ex 
claimed  with  disappointment. 

"  It's  just  as  well,"  observed  Eleanor.  "  I 
179 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


would  not  care  to  face  him.     I  feel  as  guilty  as 
you." 

"  Guilty,"  gasped  the  widow;  "  for  what?" 

"  L-lying  about  me !  " 

"  Eleanor,  you're  absurd.  What's  one  little  lie? 
I'd  tell  a  million  for  the  sake  of  anyone  I  love. 
Any  woman  would  —  wouldn't  you  ?  " 

Eleanor  was  quite  positive  that  she  would  not. 

"  My  dear  little  saint,"  laughed  the  widow, 
"  just  wait  until  you're  tempted."  She  linked  her 
arm  in  that  of  her  companion  and  started  across  the 
garden.  When  Eleanor  protested  that  she  could  go 
no  further,  Viviena  pleaded,  "  Please,  dear,  come  a 
little  way  with  me.  I  feel  so  strange,  so  sort  of 
lonely  tonight." 

"Viviena!  What's  come  over  you?"  asked  the 
girl  in  amazement,  yielding  to  her  companion's  en 
treaty. 

"  Nothing,  only  it's  so  difficult  to  be  firm,"  was 
the  reply,  as  she  drew  Eleanor  close  to  her, 
180 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


When  the  women  passed  out  of  sight  and  hear 
ing,  the  stranger  led  Jocoso  from  behind  the  palm 
and  remarked,  "  I  shall  have  to  make  you  perfectly 
harmless."  He  threw  off  his  sombrero  and  un- 
knotted  the  kerchief  from  about  his  head. 

The  lieutenant  gazed  at  his  captor  blankly  for 
an  instant  and  then  ejaculated  in  mild  surprise, 
"  Buenas  noches  to  el  Capitan  Cortesia !  " 

The  outlaw  laughed. 

"Si,  you  are  the  devil!" 

"  Now,  do  you  know,  I  have  very  little  against 
you,"  said  Courtesy,  folding  his  kerchief.  "  In 
deed,  I  should  not  be  troubling  myself  with  you 
now,  but  for  your  promise  to  sit  on  the  mission 
doorsill  forever.  Really,  you  put  yourself  very 
much  in  my  way.  You  have  your  affair,  I  have 
mine.  Therefore,  for  the  time,  I  am  obliged  to 
suppress  you." 

Without  ceremony,  he  gagged  Jocoso  and,  as  he 
made  the  kerchief  fast,  he  went  on  to  say :  "  It's  a 
181 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


pity  to  muzzle  so  eloquent  a  love-maker.  Neces 
sity,  though,  imposes  this  hardship.  Put  yourself 
in  my  place.  Under  similar  circumstances  you,  no 
doubt,  would  do  as  much  for  me." 

Unwinding  the  scarf  from  his  waist,  the  captain 
quickly  hobbled  Jocoso's  feet.  "  All's  fair  in  love 
and  war,  Senor,  and  this  adventure  partakes  of 
both,"  supplemented  the  captain.  Then  assuring 
himself  that  his  work  had  been  properly  done,  he 
recovered  his  sombrero,  relieved  Jocoso  of  sword  belt 
and  scabbard,  buckling  them  about  himself, 
sheathed  the  sword,  took  his  captive  by  the  shoul 
ders,  and  pushed  him  into  the  chapel. 

About  the  same  time  that  Courtesy  was  laying 
Jocoso  on  a  bench  in  the  chapel,  Tim  Burke,  primed 
with  a  purpose,  was  returning  from  a  visit  to  the 
presidio.  Tim  walked  after  the  fashion  of  one 
bent  upon  an  affair  of  huge  importance.  He  bus 
tled  across  the  garden,  flung  open  the  kitchen  door 

,  as  he  had  hoped,  found  Gray  Feather  dream- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ing  over  the  fire.  He  stamped  in,  pulled  up  a  chair 
beside  her  and  sat  down  with  a  fine  air  of  de 
termination. 

"  Darlin',"  he  began,  "  I'm  what  they  call  in  love 
with  ye." 

"Love?  Who  that?"  she  asked,  indifferently 
interested. 

"  It's  me  that  can  tell  ye."  After  considering 
the  subject  for  a  moment,  he  went  on.  "  Did  ye 
ever  watch  a  tea-kittle  boil  ?  " 

She  nodded. 

"  Then  ye's  seen  how  th'  water  starts  a-bubblin' 
an'  a-bubblin',  an'  if  ye  don't  take  th'  kittle  off  th' 
fire  it  bubbles  all  over  everything  ?  "  He  paused  to 
be  sure  that  she  understood.  She  did.  He  contin 
ued:  "  Well,  me  heart's  a  tea-kittle,  an'  it's  bub- 
blin'  over  with  love  for  ye.  Ye  —  see  —  eh  —  that 
ye  are  th'  fire  —  that  —  eh  —  makes  th'  heat  that 
makes  th'  tea-kittle  —  that's  me  heart  —  bubble; 
an'  that's  love."  He  looked  at  her  triumphantly, 
183 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Her  face  was  without  expression.  She  was  si 
lent. 

"  Well,  darlin',"  he  resumed  with  less  confidence, 
"  now  have  ye  —  have  ye  got  them  bubbles  in  yer 
heart  —  for  —  for  me,  eh  ?  " 

"  Only  big  brave  make  Gray  Feather's  heart 
bub-ble,"  she  replied. 

"  Brave  ?     Sure,  an'  what's  a  brave  ?  " 

"  Great  warrior  —  get  killed  —  for  tribe." 

"  Holy  frost,  I'd  sooner  be  jist  an  ordinary  live 
man,  than  a  dead  brave." 

"  Maybe  not  all  dead,"  she  remarked  stoically. 

Tim  brightened  up.  "  Oh,  ye  don't  have  t'  be  a 
whole  corpse  t'  be  a  brave  —  half  dead  —  eh?  " 

"  Hum !  "     She  nodded  again. 

"  All  right,"  he  exclaimed,  slapping  his  knees ; 
"  I'll  show  ye."  With  that,  he  up  and  kissed  her. 
She  took  this  unkindly  of  him  and  fetched  him  a 
box  across  the  cheek  which  made  his  ears  ring. 

From  a  safe  distance,  without  the  door,  he  re- 
184 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


marked  in  oratorical  tones,  "  Sure,  I  was  braver 
thin  I  thought,  darlin' ;  but  as  I  said  before,  I'll 
show  ye  yet.  Thim  California  Riflemen  is  goin'  t' 
begin  wallopin'  th'  Mexicans.  There'll  be  hell  t' 
pay,  an'  I'm  goin'  t'  be  in  it.  Perhaps  I'll  never 
come  back  t'  ye.  If  I  do,  I'll  either  be  a  brave  or 
a  corpse." 

"  Fool !  "  was  the  Indian  girl's  terse  observance 
as  she  returned  to  the  kitchen. 

Tim  was  considering  the  advisability  of  follow 
ing  her,  when  he  was  startled  by  a  whistle.  Facing 
about,  he  saw  the  highwayman  standing  by  the 
chapel. 

"  Ah,  Senor,  an'  who  are  you  ?  "  inquired  the 
youth,  advancing. 

"  Captain  Courtesy !  " 

"Th'divil!" 

The  outlaw  smiled.  "  You  and  Jocoso  seem  to 
have  the  same  opinion  of  me.  I  hoped  you  were 
more  friendly." 

185 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Indeed  an'  I  am.  What  kin  I  do  for  ye, 
Cap'n?" 

"  What  was  that  you  were  saying  just  now 
about  the  riflemen?  Have  they  actually  begun  a 
campaign  against  Castro  ?  " 

Tim  bloomed  with  importance.  "  That  they 
have,  Cap'n;  an'  be  OP  Nick,  I'm  goin'  to  be  in 
it." 

"  Good,"  commented  the  other ;  "  it's  time  they 
were  doing  something  more  than  organize.  If 
they'd  pitched  in  six  months  ago,  by  this  time  we'd 
have  driven  these  greasers  across  the  border." 

Tim  looked  at  Courtesy  quizzically  and  asked, 
"  You  weren't  whistlin'  for  me  jist  t'  say  that, 
were  ye  ?  " 

"No,"  laughed  the  captain.  "What  I  wish 
you'd  do  is  to  go  over  to  the  presidio  and  see  what 
those  Mexicans  are  about.  You  know ,  they're 
hunting  for  me.  I've  got  —  eh  —  business  here 
and  I  don't  fancy  being  disturbed.  Sabe?  " 
186 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  I  do,  Senor.  I  kin  tell  th'  time  o'  day  be 
moonlight.  You'll  find  th'  Senorita  down  be  th' 
widdy's."  With  that  advice,  he  went  his  way. 

Courtesy  looked  after  the  lad,  smilingly,  and 
then  started  in  the  direction  taken  by  Viviena  and 
Eleanor.  As  he  passed  into  the  shadows  cast  by  a 
huge  pepper-tree,  the  chapel  door  creaked  on  its 
hinges  and  the  head  and  shoulders  of  Jocoso  might 
have  been  seen  in  the  moonlight. 

The  Mexican  was  still  bound,  gagged  and  hob 
bled,  yet  he  made  his  way  upon  his  knees  through 
the  doorway.  Now  and  again  he  lost  his  balance, 
toppling  over  on  his  face,  but  he  recovered  himself 
and  slowly  crept  into  the  garden. 

Presently  he  paused,  at  the  sound  of  a  footstep, 
and  crouched  expectantly.  The  tread  drew  nearer 
and  now  he  distinguished  the  figure  of  George 
Granville  moving  toward  the  mission.  Jocoso 
raised  himself  upon  his  knees  and  swayed  from  side 
to  side  to  attract  the  renegade's  attention;  but 
187 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Granville,  looking  neither  to  right  nor  left,  kept  on 
until  he  reached  the  padre's  door.  There  he 
knocked  impatiently. 

His  summons  were  answered  by  Gray  Feather, 
who,  in  reply  to  his  questioning,  informed  him  that 
Eleanor  was  not  within  nor  did  she  know  where  the 
sefiorita  might  be  found.  Granville's  spirits  some 
what  dashed,  he  turned  from  the  door  and,  as  he 
went  past  the  chapel,  caught  sight  of  Jocoso. 
With  an  exclamation  of  astonishment  he  ran  to  the 
lieutenant's  assistance,  untied  the  gag  and  set  free 
his  hands. 

"  Maldlto  sea!  Confundate  Dios!  "  exploded 
the  Mexican,  tearing  off  his  hobbles. 

"  How  in  thunder  did  this  happen  ?  "  inquired 
Granville. 

Jocoso  staggered  to  his  feet  with  an  oath  and  an 
swered,  "  El  Capitan  Cortesia !  " 

"Courtesy  —  here?"  ejaculated  the  other  in 
consternation. 

188 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Ya  lo  era!  I  crack  his  neck!"  spluttered  Jo- 
coso. 

"Where  is  he  now?" 

The  Mexican  held  up  a  finger  in  warning. 
"  Sssh !  Somewhere  close  besides,"  he  whispered. 
"  We  get  regimento  —  catch  him  these  time 
quick!" 


189 


"DARE  TO  BE  GREAT  WITHOUT 
A  GUILTY  CROWN" 


CHAPTER  XIII 

"  DARE  TO  BE  GREAT  WITHOUT  A  GUILTY  CROWN  " 

HILE  Granville  and  Jocoso  were  hurry 
ing  toward  the  presidio,  the  Padre 
Reinaldo  came  out  of  the  mission  and, 
as  was  his  custom  of  an  evening,  entered  the  chapel 
to  pray.  The  door  was  scarcely  closed  behind  him, 
when  Eleanor,  returning  alone  from  the  widow's 
dwelling,  passed  through  the  garden  and  seated 
herself  upon  the  well  coping,  which  was  embroid 
ered  with  rose-vines.  The  stars,  like  sparks  from  a 
great  forge,  were  beginning  to  scatter  over  the 
heavens,  and  the  moon,  now  showing  boldly  over  the 
hills,  cast  the  bell  tower  into  silhouette  against  the 
sky. 

For  some  moments  she  sat  there  meditating,  her 
fancy  stirred  by  the  beauty  of  the  night,  dreaming 
with  rebellious  soul,  of  what  might  have  been. 
193 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Courtesy,  with  cautious  tread,  presently  stepped 
from  the  shelter  of  a  grape  arbor.  His  big  som 
brero,  set  jauntily  upon  his  head,  shaded  his  face. 
He  drew  near  Eleanor  and  when  he  stood  beside  her 
whispered,  "  Senorita !  " 

She  started  timorously  to  her  feet  and  exclaimed, 
"Who  are  you,  Senor?" 

With  a  flourish  he  removed  his  sombrero.  She 
gasped  his  name. 

"  I  am  at  your  service,"  he  remarked,  bowing 
again. 

"Why  —  why  are  you  here?  You  —  you  will 
be  taken.  Go  —  go,  I  beg  of  you,"  she  entreated. 

"  There  is  nothing  to  fear,  Senorita.  These 
geegaws  are  sufficient  disguise.  Even  you  did  not 
know  me." 

She  looked  at  him  with  unaffected  admiration. 
He  wore  the  gay  dress  as  though  he  were  born  to 
it,  and  it  became  him. 

"  You  fancy  my  new  habiliments,"  he  went  on 
194 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


lightly ;  "  ah,  but  you  should  have  seen  the  grand 
senor  from  whom  —  of  whom  —  I  had  them." 

"  You  have  been  plying  your  trade  again,"  she 
exclaimed  bitterly. 

"  Permit  me  to  explain,  Senorita.  When  I  so 
unceremoniously  took  my  leave  of  you  this  morn 
ing,  I  rode  post-haste  to  Ranchito,  and  delivered 
the  despatches  myself  to  our  leader,  Dr.  Semple. 
Not  knowing,  then,  what  difficulty  you  might  be  in, 
I  decided  to  return  to  San  Gabriel.  On  my  way 
here  I  met  this  fine  Mexican.  With  mask  and  pis 
tol  I  addressed  him  so:  'Your  pardon,  Senor. 
May  I  trouble  you  to  contribute  to  the  cause  of 
our  revolution?'  Fancy,  Senorita,  with  an  oath, 
he  flung  his  purse  at  me;  and  I  had  been  so  po 
lite." 

"  As  to  rob  him,"  she  added  contemptuously. 

"  No,  no !  I  said,  '  Senor,  for  all  your  fine 
clothes,  you  are  clearly  not  a  gentleman.  You  are 
unfit  to  wear  the  garb  of  one.  Take  back  your 
195 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


purse;  I  buy  your  velvets.'  We  must  believe  the 
old  adage,  Sefiorita,  that  *  a  fair  exchange  is  no 
robbery.' ' 

She  looked  at  the  captain  earnestly  and  asked, 
"  Have  you  no  conscience  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  I  have,"  he  rejoined,  with  a  smile;  "  it 
was  that  which  brought  me  here :  I  owed  you  thanks 
for  your  hospitality;  I  fancied  that  I  might  serve 
you." 

"  I  wonder  that  you  can  face  me !  " 

He  was  amazed  at  her  vehemence.  "  Why,  what 
have  I  done  ?  "  he  inquired  in  wonder. 

"  What  have  you  not  done?  "  The  interrogation 
was  a  challenge. 

He  pondered  for  an  instant.  "  I  have  never 
robbed  a  regiment,"  he  answered  solemnly.  "  Cas 
tro  and  his  escort  of  twenty  is  my  record ;  but  that's 
nothing  to  boast  of  —  they  were  Mexicans,  not 
men." 

"  And  women  ?  "  she  queried  succinctly. 
196 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


There  was  reproach  in  his  reply,  "  I  am  called 
'  Captain  Courtesy.9 ' 

"  Highwayman !  Outlaw !  "  She  flung  the 
words  at  him. 

"  Highwayman !  Outlaw !  "  he  echoed  calmly. 
"  Yes ;  because  I  dared  seek  the  murderers  of  my 
father  and  mother  and  demand  a  life  for  a  life ;  be 
cause  I  escaped ;  because  they  set  a  price  on  my 
head."  Then  waxing  warmer,  he  went  on.  "  My 
crime,  Senorita,  is  that  I  have  failed  to  avenge  my 
parents;  that  the  renegade  American,  leader  of 
those  assassins,  lives  —  but  only  because  he  is  un 
known  to  me." 

"  You  have  sought  revenge,"  she  coldly  retorted. 

"  I  have ;  but  time  has  dulled  the  edge  of  my 
hatred.  The  wrongs  of  my  countrymen  and  yours, 
have  become  my  own.  It  is  of  them  I  think  most. 
Do  you  fancy  that  my  life  offers  me  any  great  hap 
piness  ?  Why,  I  am  hunted,  like  a  beast,  night  and 
day." 

197 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  But  this  need  not  be."  Eleanor's  tone  was  less 
judicial. 

"  You  forget  that  I  am  an  outlaw ;  that  I  have 
taken  the  road  against  all  Mexico." 

Her  attitude  changed.  She  had  been  his  judge ; 
now  she  became  his  counsellor.  "  You  might  leave 
California,"  she  suggested. 

"  Desert  her  when  she  most  needs  me  ?  " 

"  You  might  find  an  honest  way  to  aid  the 
cause." 

"  I'm  not  ashamed  of  what  I've  done,"  said  he 
stubbornly ;  "  I'm  proud  of  my  occupation ;  I  glory 
in  my  title,  '  Captain  Courtesy,  the  patriot  high 
wayman.'  " 

She  glanced  up  at  him  and  thought,  "  He  is 
nothing  but  a  boy;  I  am  years  older  than  he." 
Then  she  said,  "  That  you  have  been  unselfish  and 
used  the  money  of  your  victims  to  our  cause,  does 
not  alter  the  fact  that  you  do  wrong."  The  mo 
ment  she  had  said  this,  her  thoughts  shifted  to  a 

198 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


phase  of  his  case  which  touched  her.  "  More  than 
that,"  she  resumed,  "  you  live  a  lie ;  deceive  even 
those  who  might  be  friends  to  you." 

"  Deceive  my  friends?  "      He  was  indignant. 

She  explained.  "  You  came  here  a  stranger ; 
we  took  you  in;  you  called  yourself  Leonardo 
Davis." 

"  That  is  my  name.  Should  I  have  added  my 
sobriquet,  '  Captain  Courtesy  ?  '  " 

"Yes!" 

"  Then  you  would  not  have  received  me ;  my 
mare  was  spent;  the  Mexicans  were  at  my  heels. 
What  harm  was  it  to  you  that  I  concealed  my  iden 
tity?" 

"  Harm  ?  You  deceived  me !  I  thought  you  a 
man  of  honor.  I  even  fancied  that  I  had  found  a 
—  a  friend."  She  paused,  in  doubt  as  to  whether 
she  should  say  more;  but  that  doubt  was  swept 
away  by  an  emotional  impulse  and  she  went  on,  un 
thinkingly,  her  words  rising  from  her  heart: 
199 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Don't  you  understand  that  you  have  shown  your 
self  —  unworthy ;  that  I  should  not  have  given  you 
a  second  thought  —  had  you  not  deceived  me? 
Can't  you  see  even  further  than  that?  Any 
woman,  not  knowing  you  to  be  —  be  what  you  are 
—  might  have  —  have  —  cared  a  great  deal  for 
you.  You  —  you  deceived  me  —  deceived  me  — 
concealed  your  identity,  and  —  and  —  made  — 
made  —  love  to  me !  "  She  stopped  for  an  instant, 
trembling ;  then  asked  piteously,  "  Suppose  I  had 
loved  you  ?  " 

"  Suppose  you  had  loved  me  ?  "  he  ventured, 
much  moved. 

"  Not  knowing  you  to  be  —  what  you  are  —  and 
then  —  when  it  should  have  been  too  late  —  to  dis 
cover  —  when  it  should  have  been  too  late  — " 

He  took  a  step  toward  her,  held  out  his  arms  in 
entreaty,  and  asked,  "  Is  it  too  late?  " 

"  Ah,"  she  cried,  springing  to  her  feet  and  re 
pelling  him,  "  I  hate  you ;  hate  you ;  hate  you !  " 
200 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


With  that,  she  turned  from  him  as  though  to  enter 
the  mission,  but  stopped  at  sight  of  Tim  Burke 
who  came  running  toward  her  across  the  garden. 

"  Th'  Mexicans  are  comin' ! "  exclaimed  the  lad 
breathlessly. 

"  For  me?  "  inquired  Eleanor. 

"  No,  for  him !  "     Tim  pointed  to  the  captain. 

"  I'll  make  tracks,"  said  Courtesy. 

"  Ye  can't,  Cap'n.  The  whole  regiment's  out, 
the  mission's  surrounded." 

"  I'm  obliged  to  you  for  your  timely  warning," 
remarked  the  captain  with  irony. 

"  Ye  must  excuse  me,  but  — " 

Courtesy  cut  him  off  curtly.  "  Who's  in  com 
mand  ? "  he  asked. 

"Jocoso!" 

This  piece  of  information  seemed  incredible  to 

the  outlaw.     He  ran  toward  the  chapel  door  and  at 

the  same  time  he  heard  the  soft  notes  of  an  organ. 

A  look  within  showed  him  the  padre  at  the  key- 

201 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


board ;  a  glance  without  discovered  to  him  his  scarf 
and  kerchiefs. 

"  Jocoso  '11  be  here  with  a  detail  immegiately. 
Ye  must  hide  quick,"  advised  Tim. 

Eleanor  threw  open  the  priest's  door.  "  Come, 
Senor,"  she  exclaimed ;  "  hurry !  " 

Courtesy  did  not  move.  "  I  cannot ;  you  despise 
me,"  said  he. 

"  But  your  life  is  in  danger !  " 

"  What  of  that  —  if  you  hate  me?  " 

"  For  the  Virgin's  sake,  come ! " 

"No!" 

"  Then  for  —  for  mine!  " 

"  Thank  you,"  said  he  tenderly  and  followed  her 
into  the  mission. 


202 


"ANGELS  ARE  BRIGHT  STILL, 
THOUGH  THE  BRIGHTEST 
FELL" 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"  ANGELS  ARE  BRIGHT  STILL,  THOUGH  THE  BRIGHT 
EST  FELL  " 


OURTESY  had  been  warned  none  too 
soon.  But  a  moment  after  he  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  mission,  Jocoso  and 
Granville,  each  leading  a  detail  of  Mexicans,  ap 
peared  before  the  chapel.  The  American,  deter 
mined  that  the  captain  should  not  escape,  had  seen 
to  it  himself  that  the  cordon  of  soldiers  was  drawn 
tight  about  San  Gabriel ;  and  then  had  set  about  a 
systematic  search  of  the  premises. 

"  We've  looked  everywhere  else  for  him,"  he  re 
marked  to  Jocoso.     "  He  must  be  here." 

The  lieutenant,  noting  the  sound  of  music  from 
the  chapel,  called  within  to  the  padre.    "  He  maybe 
know  something,"  Jocoso  explained. 
205 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


The  priest  came  to  the  door,  carrying  his  lan 
tern,  and  inquired  their  business. 

"  El  Capitan  Cortesia  is  here  —  somewhere,"  vol 
unteered  Jocoso. 

"  You  must  be  mistaken,"  said  the  good  father. 

The  lieutenant  rubbed  his  wrists.  "  Oh,  ho,  I 
tell  you,  si,  si.  I  know.  I  see  myself  too  mucho." 

"  I  have  not  seen  him,"  insisted  the  padre. 

The  Mexican  looked  at  him  unbelievingly. 
"Well,  maybe!" 

"  You  might  inquire  of  the  senorita,"  suggested 
Granville. 

Jocoso  went  to  the  mission  and  knocked  vigor 
ously  at  the  door.  He  was  promptly  answered  by 
Eleanor. 

"  What  is  it  now,  Sefior  ?  "  was  her  calm  greet 
ing. 

"  El  Capitan  Cortesia,  this  time.  I  command 
you  to  give  him  up." 

Apparently  the  sefiorita  was  much  surprised,  for 
206 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


she  inquired,  "  What  have  I  to  do  with  the  giving 
up  of  Captain  Courtesy?  " 

"  You  have  got  him  there,"  cried  Jocoso,  shaking 
his  finger  at  the  mission. 

Eleanor  held  wide  the  door.  "  You  may  search 
for  him  if  you  wish,"  said  she. 

Jocoso  hesitated.  He  thought :  "  This  is  a 
trap.  The  moment  I  enter,  I  shall  be  shot.  That 
is  what  I  should  do  were  I  in  the  outlaw's  place.  I 
cannot  rely  upon  my  men.  They  are  stupid. 
Maybe  Granville  would  undertake  the  investigation, 
but  I  dare  not  suggest  it.  He  might  fancy  me 
afraid."  Jocoso  wished  he  had  not  come.  After 
all,  what  did  he  care  whether  the  captain  were  taken 
or  no.  Yes,  Jocoso  had  been  very  much  provoked 
at  the  cavalier  manner  in  which  Courtesy  had  treat 
ed  him,  yet  no  harm  had  been  done,  except  to  his 
dignity.  He  was  rapidly  recovering  from  that. 
Again,  Jocoso  hoped  to  come  often  to  the  mission 
on  a  very  different  errand.  Were  he  not  discreet, 
207 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


what  was  more  likely  than  a  final  dismissal?  These 
displays  of  arms  certainly  would  not  warm  his  wel 
come.  If  Granville  were  not  present,  Jocoso  would 
certainly  apologize  at  once  and  go.  Decidedly,  he 
was  a  fool.  Well  he  must  say  something  and 
without  delay. 

This  is  what  he  said.  "  No,  no,  amigmta  mia,  I 
make  no  trespass.  I  take  honor  of  you.  You  say, 
*  El  Capitan  Cortesia  no  here ; '  I  say,  '  Si,  he  has 
gone  then.' " 

The  surprise  of  this  proposal  brought  Eleanor 
face  to  face  with  a  situation  which  she  had  not  even 
considered.  She  practically  held  the  life  of  the 
highwayman  in  her  hand.  She  could  save  that  life 
with  a  lie ;  yet  she  had  been  taught  that  to  lie  were 
as  great  a  sin  as  to  steal.  The  outlaw  had  been  her 
preserver.  Must  she  now  betray  him?  Surely  to 
be  ungrateful  were  as  bad  as  to  lie.  Ah,  all  that 
was  mere  sophistry  with  which  she  sought  to  lull  her 
conscience.  The  end  did  not  justify  the  means. 
208 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


The  question  was  a  simple  one.  Dared  she  sin  to 
save  this  man? 

She  lied.  "  He  is  not  here."  She  said  this  in  a 
monotone,  like  one  under  the  spell  of  a  hypnotist. 

Granville  could  scarcely  credit  his  ears.  He  was 
confident  that  Courtesy  was  in  the  mission,  yet  he 
knew  Eleanor  well  enough  to  believe  her  incapable 
of  falsehood. 

Jocoso  turned  to  the  American  with  a  noncom 
mittal  grunt.  The  padre  hung  his  lantern  on  the 
veranda  and  questioned  Eleanor  with  a  look.  She 
avoided  his  eyes,  smiled,  and  remarked,  "  They 
fancy  that  Captain  Courtesy  is  here." 

Granville  plucked  Jocoso  by  the  sleeve  and  whis 
pered,  "  I  believe  she's  lying.  Of  course,  he  may 
have  gone  before  we  surrounded  the  place,  though  I 
doubt  it.  Put  her  to  a  test.  See  if  she  will  swear 
by  San  Gabriel  that  she  is  not  hiding  the  road- 
agent." 

The  lieutenant  bowed  again  to  Eleanor  and  said, 
209 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Muchas  excusas,  Senorita,  I  can  only  take  honor 
of  you  if  you  swear  by  San  Gabriel  that  el  Capitan 
Cortesia  is  away." 

She  hesitated.  An  oath?  No,  no,  that  asked 
too  much  of  her. 

"  You  no  e-speak !  "  cried  the  Mexican ;  "  ah,  you 
have  lie.  He  is  here !  " 

Eleanor  deliberately  stepped  from  the  door, 
faced  the  chapel,  raised  her  hand  toward  the  bell 
tower,  upon  which  a  cross  shone  in  the  moonlight, 
and  pronounced  the  oath :  "  I  swear  by  San  Ga 
briel  that  Captain  Courtesy  is  not  within  the  mis 
sion." 

"  Caramba!  He  escape  again,"  exclaimed  Jo- 
coso,  less  angry  than  he  appeared.  "  Buenas  no- 
ches,  Senorita ;  buenas  noches,  Padre ! "  He 
waved  his  hand  and  the  Mexicans  filed  out  of  the 
garden.  "  What  I  tell  you,  Senor,  Cortesia  the 
devil,"  observed  the  lieutenant  as  he  and  Granville 
made  for  their  picket  line.  "  Well,  we  sleep  some 
210 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


tonight,  everybody,  anyway."  With  difficulty  he 
concealed  his  relief. 

As  for  the  captain,  although  he  was  out  of  hear 
ing,  he  had  observed,  from  a  window,  the  drama 
enacted  in  the  garden,  and  now  he  was  amazed  to 
see  Eleanor  throw  herself  into  the  padre's  arms. 
He  could  not  be  sure,  yet  it  seemed  to  him  that  she 
was  sobbing.  He  withdrew  from  the  window,  feel 
ing  that  he  had  no  place  in  this  epilogue,  even  as  a 
spectator. 

Eleanor  was  indeed  weeping  on  the  padre's 
shoulder. 

"  What  is  the  trouble?  "  he  asked. 

Without  raising  her  head,  she  pointed  to  the 
mission  and  gasped,  "  Captain  Courtesy  is  there." 

The  priest  groaned.  Then,  after  a  moment's  si 
lence,  he  said,  "  Daughter,  you  would  not  have 
done  so  much  for  yourself.  Why  then  for  him?  " 

She  did  not  reply.  He  drew  her  to  the  lantern 
light,  took  her  face  between  his  palms  and  gazed 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


into  her  eyes.  Presently  he  sighed  with  under 
standing.  "  My  child,  my  child,"  he  murmured 
tenderly,  and  laid  her  head  upon  his  shoulder  and 
drew  her  close.  "  The  Virgin  forgive  her  and 
preserve  her  soul,"  he  prayed.  He  kept  her  in  his 
arms  for  some  little  time.  At  last  he  put  her  from 
him  gently  and  said  with  firmness,  "  This  man  must 
go  at  once." 

"  Padre !  "  she  protested. 

"  He  is  unworthy  of  you." 

"  No,  no !  He  is  as  good  as  I.  Have  I  not 
sinned  ?  " 

"  Yes,  dear  child,  but  there  are  sins  and  sins. 
His  have  been  for  hatred,  which  stirreth  up  strife; 
yours  for  love,  which  covereth  all  sins.  Even  a 
saint  might  fall  for  love." 

Eleanor  pondered  for  an  instant.  "  But  if  he 
should  repent?  "  she  asked. 

"  Repentance  for  him  must  mean  reformation. 
One  cannot  reform  in  an  hour,  in  a  day.  By  right 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


living,  through  tears  and  travail,  must  he  make  his 
expiation." 

The  old  man  moved  toward  the  door.  Eleanor 
stayed  him  with  this  query :  "  He  must  go  —  at 
once?  " 

"  At  once !  "  was  the  reply. 

"  But  may  I  not  tell  him  to  come  again,  Padre?  " 

"  No,  daughter.  I  shall  not  set  a  premium  upon 
sin.  He  must  be  brayed  in  the  mortar."  The 
priest  called  within  the  house,  summoning  the  cap 
tain.  As  he  waited  the  outlaw,  he  said  to  Eleanor, 
"  You  must  send  him  away." 

"  I?  "  she  questioned  in  a  panic. 

"  Yes,"  returned  the  padre.  "  If  I  told  him  to 
go,  he  might  leave  tonight,  but  he  would  return  to 
morrow." 

She  pleaded  with  him :  "  Consider ;  it  will  be 
very  hard  for  me." 

He  would  not  be  moved.     He  told  her  that  it  was 
her  duty  to  dismiss  the  highwayman. 
213 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Courtesy  appeared  at  the  doorway,  advanced  to 
Eleanor,  and  said,  "  Sefiorita,  you  have  saved  my 
life.  It  was  noble  of  you." 

"  She  has  perjured  herself,  imperilled  her  soul 
for  you.  Think  of  that,  Senor."  With  these 
words,  the  padre  took  his  lantern  and  went  into  the 
chapel,  while  Eleanor,  sinking  into  a  chair,  hid  her 
face  in  her  hands. 

The  captain,  awed  by  what  the  priest  had  said, 
and  troubled  by  Eleanor's  grief,  bent  over  her.  "  I 
beseech  you,  Sefiorita,  do  not  weep,"  he  ventured. 
"  I  shall  never  forgive  myself  for  having  made  you 
so  miserable." 

"  Go  away !  "  she  entreated.  "  My  tears  are  not 
for  you ;  they  are  for  myself." 

"Yet  you  did  this  forme?" 

She  raised  her  head,  dried  her  eyes  and,  without 
looking  at  him,  said,  "  Twice  you  protected  me ;  I 
could  do  no  less  for  you.  We  are  quits.  Go,  go !  " 

"  You  did  this  merely  to  pay  the  debt?  " 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Do  not  question  me !  "  It  was  not  a  command ; 
it  was  a  supplication. 

"  You  do  not  wish  to  see  me  again !  That's  it !  " 
He  turned  from  her  a  little. 

"  Please,  Senor,  you  must  not  speak  to  me." 

"  May  not  a  sinner  speak  to  a  saint  ?  " 

"  A  saint !  "  she  echoed  with  irony. 

"  To  beg  forgiveness  for  all  his  transgressions?  " 

"  Go,  go !  "  she  timorously  petitioned. 

"  You  deny  me  penitence  ?  "  he  persisted. 

"  You  - —  you  are  not  —  cannot  be  —  sincere," 
she  faltered. 

"  I  shall  prove  to  you  that  I  am ! "  He  drew  a 
mask  from  his  shirt,  crushed  it  in  his  hand,  and 
flung  it  at  her  feet. 

She  stared  at  it  for  a  moment;  then,  venturing 
to  look  at  him,  realized  that  he  was  indeed  penitent. 
If  she  was  miserable,  he  was  no  less  unhappy.  She 
could  not  but  pity  him.  She  sighed,  "  You  are 
blind." 

215 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


He  came  closer  to  her.  "  Cannot  the  blind  be 
made  to  see?  " 

"  Only  by  faith,"  was  her  answer. 

"  Faith  ?  Faith's  but  another  name  for  love ; 
and  may  not  love  work  miracles? "  He  leaned 
over  her  as  he  spoke,  and  the  pain  of  his  heart  was 
in  his  voice. 

She  seemed  not  to  hear,  but  gazed,  as  though 
under  a  spell,  across  the  garden  where  the  moon 
light  lay,  like  a  silvery  veil  of  silk,  over  the  sleep 
ing  flowers.  A  breeze,  coming  on  tiptoe,  as  if  it 
feared  to  waken  them,  loosened  a  long  strand  of 
her  hair  and  blew  it  across  his  face.  He  touched 
her  arm.  She  started  up  with  a  little  cry,  "  Go, 
go,  go!" 

She  was  at  the  door,  when  he  stopped  her.  "  I 
will  go,  but  let  me  say  this :  your  remorse  for  what 
you  have  done  for  me,  and  the  love  that  you  have 
awakened  in  me,  have  wrought  the  miracle,  opened 
my  eyes.  I  have  been  blind,  blind,  blind.  I  have 
216 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


not  robbed  so  much  for  our  cause  as  for  my  own 
revenge." 

She  faced  him  with  this  accusation :  "  Yes,  it  is 
revenge  which  is  deep-rooted  in  your  heart.  It  is 
that  which  has  made  you  an  outlaw." 

"  No,  Senorita,  no,"  he  protested.  "  Love  has 
uprooted  revenge.  Think,  for  an  instant,  of  the 
many  years  that  I  have  been  friendless.  What 
had  I  to  feed  upon  but  my  injuries?  Many  a 
lonely  night,  when  I  have  lain  beneath  the  stars,  I 
have  seen,  as  in  a  vision,  my  home  in  San  Pedro  as 
it  was  in  my  happy,  innocent  boyhood."  He 
clenched  his  hands  and  groaned,  "  Oh,  mother 
mine !  "  He  sighed  and  went  on.  "I  knew  then 
what  it  was  to  love  and  to  be  loved.  There  was 
nothing  else  in  my  heart.  God !  I  went  away  for 
a  little  while;  left  her  with  a  warm  kiss  upon  my 
cheek.  I  came  back  to  what,  Senorita?  A  home? 
No,  a  morgue !  My  father's  body  lay  across  the 
doorway,  where  I  had  so  often  played;  and  my 
217 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


mother  —  in  death,  as  always  in  life  —  close  beside 
him.  Weep  then,  Senorita?  No!  In  that  hour 
revenge  tore  love  from  my  heart ;  and  can  you  won 
der?" 

Much  moved,  she  answered  him  unsteadily,  in  a 
whisper,  "  No,  no !  " 

He  continued  simply,  uncertainly :  "  And  then, 
after  many  bitter  years  —  you  —  you  touch  me  — 
here."  He  laid  his  hand  over  his  heart.  "  Again 
love  creeps  into  my  heart.  It  turns  revenge  out  of 
doors.  Of  course,  they  cannot  live  together.  The 
stronger  of  the  two  remains.  Now,  it  is  love. 
And  what  a  revolutionist  he  is.  What  a  magician ! 
His  work  is  done  so  quickly.  It  was  not  until  just 
now  —  when  you  told  me  that  I  must  go  —  that  I 
felt  its  full  power  upon  me.  But  it  besieged  me 
last  night;  it  took  possession  today,  so  that  I  for 
got  that  I  was  a  highwayman.  But  that  life  shall 
claim  me  no  longer.  I  give  you  my  word.  I 
promise  you,  by  that  memory,  which  I  hold  most 
218 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


sacred,  that  I  shall  be  honest,  honest  as  you  might 
wish  me." 

He  waited  a  moment  for  her  to  speak.  Then  he 
asked,  "  Have  you  nothing  to  say?  " 

"  You  —  must  —  go,"  she  faltered. 

"  Yes,  but  I  may  return?  " 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  Senorita,  do  not  send  me  away  forever."  He 
dropped  his  voice,  the  words  falling  slowly :  "  Let 
me  have  some  dear  thought  to  cherish;  something 
to  dream  of ;  something  to  hope  for.  Tell  me  that 
when  I  have  proved  myself  worthy  of  you  that  — 
repentantly  —  I  may  come  back  to  you,  my  saint !  " 

She  was  not  proof  against  this  pleading.     "  *  If 
the  wicked  turn  from  his  sins,  he  shall  not  die,'  ' 
she  quoted. 

The  padre,  coming  from  the  chapel,  saw  Cour 
tesy  take  Eleanor's  unresisting  hand  and  heard  him 
say,  "  If  that  is  true,  you  must  give  me  hope." 

Her  lips  parted  to  tender  him  some  word  of  en- 
219 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


couragement,  when  the  priest  touched  her  arm. 
She  turned  to  the  old  man  with  a  cry. 

"Come,"  said  the  padre  to  the  girl.  "Go," 
said  he  to  the  highwayman.  Then  he  led  his  ward 
into  the  mission  and  closed  the  door. 

"  I  knocked  at  the  gate  of  paradise,"  mused  the 
outlaw,  "  and  they  turned  me  away." 


220 


'OUR  BROKEN  TUNES  WE 
THUS  REPAIR" 


CHAPTER  XV 

"  OUR  BROKEN  TUNES  WE  THUS  REPAIR  " 

HAT  night  Captain  Courtesy  might  have 
been  seen  riding  slowly  in  the  direction 
of  Ranchito.  It  was  Paquita,  not  he, 
that  picked  the  road,  since  the  outlaw  gave  no 
thought  to  his  journeying.  His  mind  was  con 
cerned  with  that  query,  '  What  is  the  profit  of  it?  ' 
which  ever  confronts  him,  who,  on  the  very  thresh 
old  of  repentance,  meets  with  rebuff  where  he  had 
looked  for  welcome.  Though  the  captain  rendered 
himself  no  answer  to  this  question,  he  found  that  he 
could  no  longer  look  with  equanimity  upon  his  old 
mode  of  life.  Love  had,  indeed,  revolutionized  him 
and  no  less  thoroughly  by  reason  of  its  sudden  con 
quest.  He  began  to  see  himself  as  the  woman  saw 
him;  as  his  God  knew  him.  In  other  words,  his 
conscience  awoke. 

223 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Conscience  does  not  make  cowards  of  us,  rather 
is  it  a  spur  to  courage.  It  is  too  much  thought 
that  weakens  resolution ;  brooding  that  begets  fear. 

Courtesy  had  been  a  brave  man;  he  became  a 
braver  one.  This  new  courage  was  inspired  by  his 
awakened  conscience.  He  resolved  that,  though  he 
might  not  win  the  padre's  ward,  he  would,  never 
theless,  prove  worthy  of  her.  This,  which  he  first 
saw  in  the  light  of  a  duty  to  himself,  presently  be 
came  a  desire  more  ardent  than  any  he  had  known. 

He  ran  over  in  his  mind  all  that  Eleanor  had 
said  to  him.  He  remembered  her  suggestion,  "  You 
might  find  an  honest  way  to  serve  your  country." 
But  how?  Tim's  intelligence  that  the  California 
Riflemen  were  about  to  begin  a  campaign  against 
Castro,  occurred  to  him.  Surely  he  could  not  do 
better  than  enlist  with  them.  Where  could  they 
be  found  ?  He  abused  himself  for  not  questioning 
the  youth  further.  No,  he  could  not  return  to  the 
mission  and  inquire.  He  must  seek  information 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


elsewhere.  Whither  was  he  bound?  Ranchito! 
Nothing  could  be  better.  Had  he  not  that  very 
morning  ridden  thither  and  delivered  the  Mexican 
despatches  into  the  hands  of  that  leader  and  pa 
triot,  Dr.  Semple?  He  would  go  to  him  now. 

Within  a  half-hour  the  captain  was  knocking  at 
the  doctor's  door.  The  patriot,  himself,  opened  it 
and  bade  him  enter.  In  a  few  words  Courtesy 
made  known  his  business. 

"  You  come  at  an  opportune  time,"  said  Semple. 
"  You  can  serve  us,  if  you  will.  Even  now  I  am 
waiting  for  a  messenger  to  send  on  a  mission  of  im 
portance.  He  is  late.  Perhaps  you  might  go  in 
his  stead." 

The  captain  assured  him  that  he  would  be  glad 
to  undertake  any  commission. 

"  Very  good,  Senor.     Now  listen  to  me.     The 

despatches  which  you  brought  me  this  morning,  I 

have   deciphered   in   part;   enough  to  reveal  that 

Castro  is  preparing  to  march  with  fire  and  sword 

225 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


either  up  the  San  Gabriel  valley,  or  toward  San 
Pedro;  I  cannot  make  out  which.  Now  it  is  im 
perative  that  we  have  definite  intelligence  regarding 
their  plan.  This  it  shall  be  your  business  to  secure. 
Go  to  Rivera,  where  you  will  find  some  of  the  Mex 
ican  troops  quartered.  They  are  to  participate  in 
this  movement.  From  them  you  must  obtain  your 
information.  Lose  no  time  about  it.  Once  in 
formed,  ride  with  all  your  might  to  San  Pedro. 
The  riflemen  are  encamped  there.  You  will  deliver 
your  news  to  their  captain,  John  Brunt,  and,  if 
you  wish,  you  may  enlist  with  him.  I  will  give  you 
credentials  that  he  may  make  no  question  of  your 
integrity." 

"  I  thank  you,  Senor,  for  your  trust,"  returned 
the  captain,  "  but  why,  may  I  ask,  should  you  place 
such  confidence  in  a  stranger  ?  " 

Dr.  Semple  smiled.  "  I  flatter  myself  that  I  am 
a  judge  of  men.  Besides,  none  but  a  friend  would 
have  brought  me  Castro's  despatches." 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  But  might  that  not  be  a  clever  ruse  to  deceive 
you?" 

"  It  might,  but  I'm  confident  it  is  not." 

"  You  seem  very  confident,  Doctor." 

"I  am." 

"  Yet,  you  do  not  even  know  my  name." 

The  patriot  smiled  again.  "  You  are  Captain 
Courtesy." 

The  outlaw  stared  at  him,  bewildered;  he  even 
blushed. 

"  News  speeds  almost  as  quickly  as  thought," 
explained  Semple.  "  Before  you  came  to  me  this 
morning,  I  had  heard  that  Captain  Courtesy  way 
laid  Castro's  courier  and  robbed  him  of  despatches. 
I,  myself,  have  looked  into  your  pistol  barrel.  On 
that  occasion,  when  finally  you  perceived  that  I  was 
not  a  Mexican,  you  handed  my  purse  back  to  me, 
saying,  '  A  thousand  pardons,  Senor ;  I  meant  no 
insult  in  mistaking  you  for  a  greaser.  Blame  the 
night  and  your  good  horsemanship.'  I  have  not 
387 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


only  a  good  memory  but  also  a  good  ear.  So  when 
you  addressed  me  today,  I  at  once  detected  some 
thing  familiar  in  your  voice,  and  when  you  handed 
me  the  despatches,  I  was  assured  that  Captain 
Courtesy  stood  before  me." 

"  And  that  knowledge  has  not  weighed  against 
me?" 

"  Quite  the  contrary,  my  friend.  You  have 
done  not  a  little  for  our  cause,  however  much  one 
might  question  your  methods.  If  you  care  to  tell 
me,  I  should  like  to  know  what  brought  you  here 
tonight." 

"  Simply  this :  I've  done  with  being  a  highway 
man." 

The  patriot  laid  his  hand  on  the  captain's 
shoulder  and  said,  "  And  you  shall  no  longer  be  an 
outlaw  once  we  have  shaken  off  the  Mexican  yoke. 
California,  a  free  State,  or  part  of  the  great 
Union,  your  record  is  wiped  out.  Remember, 
then,  that  in  fighting  for  your  country,  you  are 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


working  out  your  own  salvation.  Now  go,  Sefior, 
and  God  be  with  you." 

It  was  nine  o'clock  when  Courtesy  left  Ranchito 
and  before  ten  he  made  out  the  lights  of  Rivera. 
He  pulled  up  his  mare  in  a  clump  of  willows  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  dismounted,  and  ascended  a  bluff 
to  reconnoitre.  As  he  reached  the  top  of  the  em 
bankment,  he  ran  fairly  into  the  arms  of  a  Mexi 
can  patrol,  that  stepped  from  the  cover  of  some 
brush  and  challenged  him  with  leveled  muskets. 
He  wheeled  about  with  the  intention  of  leaping  into 
the  creek,  when  still  another  Mexican  intercepted 
him, 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  demanded  the  soldier. 

"  A  friend,"  returned  the  captain  in  Spanish. 

"  The  countersign." 

"  Eh  —  Castro,"  invented  Courtesy. 

"  That's  not  the  password.  You're  under  ar 
rest." 

The  captain  laughed.  "  You  can't  mean  that. 
229 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


You're  poking  fun  at  me  —  eh  —  Senor  Corpo 
ral?" 

"  Throw  up  your  hands !  "  commanded  the  man 
with  stripes  on  his  sleeve,  and,  ordering  his  com 
panions  to  keep  the  prisoner  covered,  he  relieved 
Courtesy  of  Jocoso's  sword.  "  We're  ordered  to 
arrest  anyone  found  on  the  bank  tonight,  unless  he 
can  give  a  good  reason  for  being  abroad.  I  want 
to  have  a  look  at  you.  Come  along.  Remember 
if  you  make  an  ugly  move  my  men  will  shoot." 

"  And  probably  hit  you,"  commented  the  cap 
tain,  who  had,  on  many  occasions,  tested  Mexican 
marksmanship. 

The  corporal,  followed  by  Courtesy  and  the  pa 
trol,  led  the  way  to  a  cabin,  which  stood  some  fifty 
feet  from  the  edge  of  the  bluff.  It  had  prob 
ably  once  served  as  a  shelter  for  sheep  herders,  but 
now,  as  the  captain  entered,  he  noted  that  it  had 
been  converted  into  a  sort  of  tavern.  A  brace  of 
Mexican  lancers  sat  drinking  at  a  rude  table.  They 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


were  served  by  a  withered  old  woman,  who  appeared 
to  be  the  keeper.  A  corner  of  the  hut  was  occu 
pied  by  a  counter,  improvised  of  two  barrels  and  a 
plank,  upon  which  were  displayed  an  assortment  of 
beverages  in  jugs  and  bottles.  The  lancers  started 
up  as  Courtesy  entered  and  inquired  his  business. 

"  I  am  a  courier  of  his  Excellency,  General  Cas 
tro,"  replied  the  captain. 

"  Then  what  are  you  doing  here  ?  "  asked  a  Mex 
ican. 

"  That's  what  I  should  like  to  know,"  put  in  the 
corporal. 

"  My  mission  is  a  secret  one,"  explained  Cour 
tesy. 

"Where  is  your  passport?" 

"  I  was  told  that  Castro's  name  would  be  suffi 
cient." 

The  Mexicans  grinned.  "  Tell  that  to  Colonel 
Gomez,"  joked  the  corporal.  "  I  must  take  you  to 
headquarters." 

231 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  You'll  lose  your  stripes  if  you  do,"  threatened 
the  captain. 

The  corporal  had  no  fear  so  long  as  he  was  do 
ing  his  duty.  If  the  prisoner  were  in  the  service  of 
his  Excellency,  he  should  have  something  to  show 
for  it.  Since  he  had  no  credentials,  he  was  under 
arrest  and  must  go  at  once  to  headquarters  across 
the  river. 

"  You  are  quite  in  the  right,  Senor,"  observed 
the  outlaw  cheerfully.  "  My  negligence  alone  has 
placed  me  in  this  false  position.  Permit  me  to 
compliment  you  upon  your  discipline.  It  is  too 
rare  a  thing  in  our  army,  which,  as  you  must  well 
know,  is  notoriously  slipshod.  By  all  means  bring 
me  before  your  colonel.  I  have  no  doubt  that  I 
shall  be  able  to  convince  him  that  my  business  here 
is  in  the  interest  of  his  Excellency.  Ah,  here  is 
the  good  mother  with  a  drink  at  our  elbow.  Al 
though  I  am  your  prisoner,  I  presume  you  will  not 
object  to  sharing  a  bottle  with  me."  He  flung 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


some  silver  on  the  table.  "  The  best,  if  you  please, 
madre." 

The  corporal  demurred,  but  the  others  insisted, 
so  he  gave  in. 

"  I  drink  to  his  Excellency,"  cried  the  captain ; 
"  may  he  string  the  Americans  up  —  every  moth 
er's  son  of  them !  " 

"  His  Excellency !  "  they  chorused  and  drank. 

The  corporal  kept  his  eye  on  his  prisoner,  but 
was  quite  satisfied  that  Courtesy  was  without  guile 
since  he  drained  his  goblet ;  and,  what  is  more,  the 
Mexican  succumbed  to  the  stranger's  good  humor 
so  far  as  to  permit  the  opening  of  a  second  and  a 
third  bottle.  After  that,  all  reckoning  was  lost,  so 
that  when  the  captain,  apparently  no  more  sober 
than  his  companions,  proposed  a  song,  the  corporal 
sat  down  to  listen,  forgetful  of  his  boasted  duty. 
He  was  presently  recalled  to  it,  however,  by  the 
appearance  of  his  lieutenant,  who  burst  in  upon  the 
revelers  with  anger. 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Here  you,"  he  cried,  "  be  off  to  camp !  " 

The  Mexicans  staggered  to  their  feet  and  en 
deavored  to  stand  at  attention.  Courtesy  alone  re 
mained  seated,  staring  blankly  at  the  intruder  after 
the  manner  of  one  in  a  helpless  state  of  intoxica 
tion. 

The  lieutenant  pointed  to  the  prisoner,  asking, 
"Who's  that?" 

The  captain  reeled  to  his  feet  and  pawed  at  the 
table.  "  I'm  Juan  Almonte.  Don't  you  know  me, 
Seiior?"  he  queried  with  a  grin. 

"  No,  you  drunken  fool !  " 

"  Mistake  —  perfectly  sober."  Courtesy  took  a 
belligerent  step  forward,  lost  his  balance  and,  in  an 
attempt  to  recover  himself,  fell  against  the  cor 
poral,  apologized  profusely,  and  sat  down. 

"  We  found  him  prowling  about  the  bank  and 
arrested  him  according  to  orders,"  volunteered  the 
corporal.  "  He  says  he's  commissioned  by  his  Ex 
cellency,  but  he's  got  nothing  to  prove  it." 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"I  —  guess  —  my  —  word's  'nough,"  hic 
coughed  the  captain. 

"  We'll  see,"  remarked  the  lieutenant.  "  Clear 
out,  all  of  you,"  he  thundered.  "  Leave  the  pris 
oner  to  me ! " 

The  Mexicans  made  a  pretence  of  saluting, 
gathered  up  their  guns,  and  reeled  out  the  door. 
As  they  went,  Courtesy  cast  a  covetous  look  at  his 
sword,  which  lay  upon  the  floor  a  long  pace  away 
from  him.  He  dared  not  reach  for  it  so  long  as 
the  lieutenant  watched  him. 

With  deliberation  the  officer  drew  up  a  stool 
across  the  table  from  the  outlaw  and  began. 
"  Now  what  have  you  got  to  say  for  yourself,  if 
you  have  wit  left  to  speak  ?  " 

"Wit!"  cried  the  captain  sillily;  "  Senor  Col 
onel,  or  is  it  General?  —  no  matter  —  it's  im-mag- 
i-na-tion  —  not  titles  or  gold  lace  —  which  makes 
the  man;  and  good  drink's  the  fountain  of  fancy. 
Here,  madre,  fill  up  the  Senor' s  glass !  "  he  bawled 
235 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


to  the  old  woman,  who  was  pottering  about,  un 
mindful  of  her  guests. 

"  No,  no,"  protested  the  lieutenant ;  "  I'm  on 
duty.  Now,  to  the  point:  what  are  you  doing 
here?" 

"  It's  most  con-fi-den-tial,"  lisped  the  outlaw. 
"  Dismiss  the  madre." 

At  the  Mexican's  command,  the  old  woman  left 
the  room. 

"  It's  this,  Senor,"  continued  Courtesy ;  "  his 
Ex-cel-len-cy  sent  me  to  your  colonel  to  say  that 
he'd  changed  his  plans.  He's  not  going  to  march 
up  the  San  Ga-bri-el  Val-ley,  but  he's  going  to  San 
Pedro!" 

"  Imbecile,"  laughed  the  lieutenant ;  "  we  are 
ordered  to  San  Pedro !  " 

He  had  no  sooner  said  this  than  the  captain  sur 
prised  him  with  a  blow,  struck  full  in  the  face. 
The  Mexican  fell  from  his  stool  and  before  he  re 
covered  his  wits,  Courtesy  caught  up  Jocoso's 
236 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


sword  and  rushed  out  of  the  cabin.  Then  he  ran 
across  the  bluff  and  scrambled  down  to  where  Pa- 
quita  stood  waiting  in  the  willows.  With  a  word 
to  his  mare,  he  leaped  into  the  saddle  and  raced 
away  southward. 


237 


'SOUND  THE  CALL  TO  ARMS' 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ND  THE   CALL  TO   A 

AQUITA,  with  a  toss  of  her  head  flaunted 
her  mane  in  the  breeze,  neighed  for  very 
joy  in  her  strength,  and  rolled  the  high 
way  from  under  her  hoofs  with  long  steady  strides, 
a  pace  which  her  rider  calculated  must  eover  by 
midnight  the  miles  that  lay  between  him  and  San 
Pedro.  The  road  stretched  away  before  the  cap 
tain,  white  as  a  chalk  mark  in  the  moonlight.  On 
his  left,  rippled  the  river,  of  which  he  caught  a 
glimpse  now  and  again  through  the  shrubbery  that 
margined  it.  On  his  right,  the  country  rose  undu 
lating  to  the  wooded  slopes  of  the  mountains,  their 
peaks,  reared  high  above  a  few  vagrant  clouds, 
glowing  under  halos  of  stars. 

Before  him  lay  a  town,  which  appeared  at  first 
as   a  mere   widening  of   the   roadway.     Now    it 
241 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


took  form,  the  low  adobe  houses,  with  here  and 
there  a  red  spark  —  a  light  in  a  window  —  stand 
ing  clear  in  the  brilliant  night. 

Swerving  off  then  from  the  road,  he  made  a  wide 
detour  about  the  town  and  struck  across  country 
toward  Clearwater.  From  there,  that  he  might 
avoid  any  advance  guard  of  General  Castro's 
forces,  he  intended  to  follow  an  old  trail  through 
the  chaparral  which  he  remembered  would  bring 
him  close  to  Dominguez.  From  that  settlement  he 
was  confident  that  he  might  take  the  straight  high 
way  leading  to  San  Pedro,  with  fair  assurance  of 
safety. 

The  country  over  which  he  was  now  riding, 
proving  rougher,  and  therefore  more  dangerous, 
than  he  had  anticipated,  he  swung  back  to  the  road, 
once  he  had  avoided  the  town,  and  pushed  on  to  the 
west.  He  was  perhaps  within  three  miles  of  Clear- 
water,  at  a  place  where  the  foliage  arched  the  way 
so  that  the  light  was  scant,  when,  from  the  shadow 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


of  the  trees,  a  voice  bellowed  through  the  night, 
calling  him  to  halt. 

The  captain  paid  no  heed  to  this  order,  only 
leaned  low  over  the  saddle-bow  and  urged  the  mare 
to  a  faster  gait.  A  musket  shot  shattered  the 
rhythmic  tattoo  of  Paquita's  tread.  A  ball  clat 
tered  harmlessly  in  the  boughs.  Courtesy  laughed 
in  derision,  yet  he  took  warning,  abandoned  the 
road  once  more,  and  did  not  return  to  it  until  the 
red  tile  roofs  of  the  settlement  were  well  behind 
him. 

Another  mile,  and  he  began  to  slacken  his  pace, 
keeping  watch  for  the  great  redwood  that  senti 
neled  the  opening  of  the  old  trail.  Presently  he 
made  out  the  tree,  a  few  hundred  yards  ahead,  tow 
ering  against  the  sky,  like  the  silhouette  of  a  church 
spire.  On  each  side,  the  forest  grew  thick,  im 
penetrable,  so  that  when  he  came  suddenly  upon  a 
body  of  Mexican  horsemen,  drawn  up  across  the 
road  by  the  redwood,  he  realized  that  he  must 
243 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


either  retreat,  and  possibly  run  into  others  of  the 
same  command,  or  rush  past  them  into  the  trail, 
trusting  to  Paquita's  speed  for  deliverance. 

He  chose  the  latter  course  and  gave  his  mare  the 
word.  As  though  her  muscles  were  springs  of 
steel,  she  shot  straight  at  the  line  of  horsemen.  So 
precipitous  was  her  approach  that  the  Mexicans 
had  no  time  to  use  their  weapons  before  Paquita 
broke  through  their  ranks,  cleared  a  fallen  trunk 
—  which  lay  across  the  opening  of  the  trail  —  and 
plunged  into  the  woodland  road. 

In  an  instant  the  Mexicans  recovered  themselves 
and,  with  a  cry,  took  up  the  pursuit.  It  was  rough 
riding,  not  only  on  account  of  the  unevenness  of 
the  ground,  but  also  because  of  the  darkness,  little 
light  filtering  through  the  dense  foliage,  and  the 
boughs,  in  many  places,  hanging  so  low  that  the 
horsemen  were  in  danger  of  being  swept  from  their 
saddles.  One  by  one  the  Mexicans  fell  out  of  the 
chase,  until  only  a  solitary  rider  followed  at  the 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


heels  of  Paquita.  He  was  mounted  on  a  big 
hunter  of  great  bone  and  muscle,  used  to  just  such 
going,  so  that  he  stuck  to  the  trail  and  even  gained 
a  yard  or  so,  for  the  captain  had  no  intention  of 
riding  'faster  than  need  be.  He  had  no  fear  of  a 
shot  now,  since  his  pursuer  had  fired  unsuccessfully 
and  he  knew  that  there  could  be  no  reloading  at 
that  mad  gait. 

For  full  a  half-hour  the  Mexican  thundered 
along  fifty  yards  behind  Courtesy  with  no  sign  of 
tiring.  Paquita,  too,  was  still  fresh,  but  her  rider 
had  no  mind  to  put  her  endurance  to  so  severe  a 
test,  when  he  yet  had  many  miles  to  go.  There 
fore,  he  began  to  consider  some  means  to  rid  him 
self  of  his  enemy,  and  finally  concluded  that  at  the 
first  clearing,  which  might  offer  room  for  an  en 
gagement,  he  would  turn  and  fight  it  out  with  the 
Mexican. 

More  than  a  mile  fell  back  from  them  before  the 
captain  found  a  spot  entirely  to  his  liking.  It 
245 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


was  an  open  space,  probably  forty  feet  in  di 
ameter,  which  had  doubtless  been  cleared  for  a 
camp,  for  to  one  side  of  the  trail  was  a  spring  and 
close  by  it  a  blackened  spot  such  as  might  have 
been  made  by  a  fire.  The  moonlight,  unscreened 
here,  showed  all  this  to  Courtesy  in  a  moment.  He 
pulled  up  his  mare,  whirled  about,  and  faced  his 
pursuer. 

The  Mexican  broke  into  the  glade  at  full  tilt, 
but,  with  a  fine  display  of  horsemanship,  brought 
up  his  mount  within  a  foot  of  the  captain.  At 
the  same  instant,  he  rose  in  the  stirrups,  swung  his 
sabre  high  above  his  head  and  brought  it  down 
upon  the  outlaw's  guard  with  a  ringing  stroke. 
The  trooper's  heavier  blade  struck  down  the  lighter 
one  and  cut  Courtesy  across  the  forehead. 

Blinded  by  blood  and  dazed  by  the  blow,  the 

captain  rocked  in  his  seat,  pitched  forward,  and 

might  have  fallen  had  he  not  flung  out  a  hand  and 

clutched    the   Mexican's    jacket.     Summoning   all 

246 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


his  strength,  he  retained  his  hold  and,  with  a  sud 
den  movement,  at  the  same  time  bringing  Paquita 
back  on  her  haunches,  he  jerked  his  adversary  from 
the  saddle. 

With  an  oath,  the  trooper  fell  head  foremost 
into  the  spongy  soil,  while  the  captain  wheeled  Pa 
quita  about  again  and  galloped  on  down  the  trail. 
Coming  to  a  place  where  a  brook  crossed  his  path, 
he  dismounted  to  wash  the  blood  from  his  face  and 
to  bind  up  his  wounded  forehead.  The  cut  was 
broad  but  not  deep  and  he  felt  little  the  worse  for 
it  save  that  his  head  still  ached  from  the  blow. 

In  a  half -hour  he  was  out  of  the  woods  and  rac 
ing  along  the  open  highway  to  Dominguez,  which 
place  he  reached  without  further  adventure,  gal 
loped  through  the  sleeping  town,  and,  with  a  sigh 
of  relief,  urged  Paquita  on  toward  San  Pedro. 

It  was  not  long  then  before  he  began  to  sniff  the 
salt  air,  blown  inland  from  the  sea.  Judging  by 
the  moon,  he  reckoned  that  it  lacked  at  least  a  half- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


hour  of  midnight,  so  that  he  now  felt  assured  of 
reaching  his  destination  in  good  season.  In  fact, 
as  he  came  within  sight  of  San  Pedro,  the  wind 
bore  to  his  ears  the  sound  of  a  bell  striking  twelve. 

Presently  he  caught  the  glimmer  of  camp-fires, 
stretched  along  the  foot  of  the  hills  to  the  north 
west  of  the  town,  and  making  in  that  direction,  came 
upon  a  sentry,  who,  after  learning  the  captain's  er 
rand,  led  him  into  camp. 

Scarcely  an  hour  later,  Captain  Courtesy,  with 
some  three  hundred  mounted  riflemen  —  a  motley, 
ragged  troop  —  thundered  away  toward  Rivera. 


248 


'WHAT  IS  LOVE?    I  WILL 
TELL  THEE" 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WHAT  IS  LOVE?       I  WILL  TELL  THEE  " 

LEANOR  was  in  her  favorite  seat  at  the 
mission  window,  as  was  her  habit  of  an 
afternoon.  Her  hands  lay  idly  in  her 
lap,  but  her  mind  was  actively  engaged,  as  it  had 
been  for  a  month  past,  speculating  upon  the  prob 
able  fate  of  him  whom  she  loved  and  had  sent  away. 
The  padre,  returning  from  a  visitation,  paused 
at  the  sight  of  the  girl's  sad  face  and  then,  sitting 
beside  her,  took  her  hand  in  his.  She  looked  up  at 
him,  smiled  wanly  and  sighed. 

"  Daughter,"  he  began,  "  for  days  and  weeks 
I  have  seen  you  fail  in  spirit  and  in  health.  You 
have  interest  in  nothing."  He  touched  her  cheek. 
'  There  are  little  hollows  here  as  though  some  one 
had  scooped  out  your  blooms.  You  are  all  eyes 
and  sad  ones  at  that.  You  are  silent.  You  will 
251 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


not  be  questioned.  This  must  not  go  on.  I  can 
not  see  you  wither  so.  Confide  in  me." 

"  Dear  Padre,  there  is  nothing  that  I  can  help ; 
nothing  that  you  Can  do  for  me.  It  is  too  late." 

"  It  is  never  too  late,"  he  remonstrated.  "  You 
will  remember  the  thief  upon  the  cross ;  with  almost 
his  last  breath  he  found  salvation." 

"  You  should  have  thought  of  that  before,"  she 
exclaimed  with  sudden  bitterness. 

"  Before  ?  "      He  was  puzzled. 

"  Before  you  sent  him  away ! "  she  cried,  her 
hand  to  her  breast,  where  she  felt  the  pulsing  of 
her  heart  through  a  crumpled  mask. 

Captain  Courtesy  was  unfamiliar  to  the  priest's 
thoughts.  When  on  occasions  he  was  reminded  of 
the  highwayman,  it  was  only  to  congratulate  him 
self  that  he  had  put  the  man  so  effectively  out  of 
Eleanor's  life.  In  an  instant,  now,  she  had  lifted 
the  veil  of  her  thoughts  and  discovered  to  him  this 
outlaw.  It  was  more  than  a  surprise;  it  was  a 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


shock.  He  said  nothing  for  some  little  time.  When 
he  did  speak  it  was  to  ask  a  question  she  had  al 
ready  answered,  though  not  in  words ;  "  You  still 
think  of  him?" 

"  I  shall  never  cease  to  think  of  him,"  she  re 
plied.  "  His  plea  for  forgiveness,  for  hope,  still 
echoes  in  my  heart."  She  changed  her  tone  of 
fervor  to  one  of  bitterness.  "  We,  we  would  not 
hear  him."  Her  voice  rang  triumphantly  now. 
"  But  the  Christ  is  more  merciful.  Though  that 
plea  was  addressed  to  me,  I  have  no  doubt  it  was 
heard  by  Him." 

The  priest  defended  himself  by  saying,  "  I  or 
dered  for  what  I  thought,  and  still  think,  to  be  the 
best.  Your  happiness  has  been  my  charge.  I 
dared  not  hazard  that  for  the  sake  of  such  a  man, 
a  man  so  unworthy  of  you." 

Eleanor  rose  to  her  feet  with  an  exclamation  of 
scorn,  "  Happiness !  Happiness !  "  She  made  a 
turn  of  the  room  and  then  stopped  before  the  old 
253 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


man,  laid  her  hands  on  his  shoulders  and  said,  with 
great  tenderness  and  feeling,  "  Padre  dear,  you  are 
old  and  good  and  wise  and  true,  but  age  and  good 
ness  and  wisdom  and  loyalty  are  not  the  total  sum 
of  life.  I  am  as  a  child  to  you,  yet  I  have  a 
knowledge  that  you  have  not ;  a  great  item  which  is 
the  whole  of  life's  sum  —  we  call  it  love.  I  have 
studied  at  your  knee ;  now  you  shall  learn  at  mine. 
Love  takes  no  reckoning  of  rank  or  worth.  It  has 
no  need,  since  to  possess  love  is  to  be  ennobled. 
So  this  man,  whom  we  drove  from  San  Gabriel  be 
cause  of  his  sins,  became  worthy  the  instant  he 
loved." 

"  He  was  an  outcast,"  interjected  the  priest. 

"  The  more  reason  then,  Padre,  that  we  should 
have  been  merciful.  Your  thief  upon  the  cross 
was  no  more  repentant  than  my  outlaw.  The  one 
was  assured  paradise;  the  other  was  driven  away. 
If  God  should  vouchsafe  us  as  little  mercy  as  we 
showed  this  man,  for  what  might  we  hope?" 
£54 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Remorsefully  the  old  man  exclaimed,  "  Daugh 
ter,  daughter,  I  am  a  sad  priest ! "  With  chin 
sunk  upon  his  chest,  he  sat  for  a  long  while  in  si 
lence.  At  last  he  lifted  his  head,  with  an  action  of 
determination.  "I'll  bring  him  back  to  you," 
he  cried. 

Eleanor  smiled  at  the  padre  with  amiable  supe 
riority  and  asked,  "  Do  you  think  he  is  the  sort  of 
man  who  would  come  at  your  call  ?  " 

On  second  thought  the  priest  agreed  that 
Courtesy  would  be  unlikely  to  accept  any  overtures 
from  him,  but  if  Eleanor  — 

She  anticipated  his  suggestion  with,  "  I  would 
not  summon  him,  and  I  would  not  have  him  come 
until  he  should  have  proved  himself  as  worthy  as 
you  demanded.  I  know  that  I  could  have  made  of 
him  all  that  he  should  be;  but  I  have  pride  for 
him  now.  He  must  do  for  himself  what  once  I 
would  have  done  for  him." 

For  the  first  time  in  his  life  the  padre  felt  him- 
255 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


self  impotent ;  before  this  child,  too.  Then  he  re 
alized  that  the  child  had  become  the  woman.  With 
that  thought  a  great  sorrow  arose  in  his  heart. 

He  knew  and  understood  the  child  as  he  did  his 

i 

breviary ;  he  might  not  know   or  understand  the 

woman,  any  more  than  he  might  translate  the 
matins  and  vespers  of  the  winds. 


256 


'BUT  KISS  ,YOUR  HOSTESS 
AND  GO  YOUR  WAY" 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

BUT  KISS  YOUR  HOSTESS  AND  GO  YOUR  WAY  " 

HE  padre  was  aroused  from  his  reverie  by 
the  advent  of  Tim  Burke,  whom  he  wel 
comed  cordially,  for  the  lad  had  been  ab 
sent  a  month. 

"  We  thought  you  were  with  the  riflemen, "  ob 
served  the  priest. 

"  Sure  an'  I  am,"  Tim  returned  promptly. 
"  We're  camped  in  th'  chaparral  on  the  hill."  He 
pointed  to  a  ridge  less  than  half  a  mile  distant, 
and  went  on :  "  I'm  thinkin*  we're  here  to  wait  for 
word  from  th'  United  States  troops.  There's  goin' 
to  be  a  jint  attact  be  th'  riflemen  an'  Colonel 
Kearny's  boys,  upon  Los  Angeles.  I  guess  we've 
got  to  clean  up  thim  greasers  of  Jocoso's  at 
the  presidio  furst.  Cap'n  Courtesy  —  I  mean 
Davis  —  " 

259 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Eleanor,  who  had  shown  but  little  interest,  now 
turned  to  Tim  eagerly.  "  Captain  Courtesy  — 
what  —  ?  "  She  clenched  her  hands  expectantly. 

Tim  was  embarrassed.  "  There !  "  he  groaned ; 
"  I've  done  it  now ;  an'  me  wit'  special  instructions 
to  keep  me  mouth  shut." 

"  What    about    him?     You    were    saying  — " 

Eleanor  was  all  eagerness. 

"  Well,  Senorita,  seein'  as  I've  broke  me  orders, 
I  might  as  well  tell  ye :  he's  in  command  of  us.  I 
jist  was  to  come  here  an'  find  if  ye  was  well  an'  all 
that,  an'  raport  to  him." 

Eleanor  was  moved  to  embrace  Tim,  but  all  she 
did  was  to  press  his  hand  and  inquire  how  long  the 
captain  had  been  with  the  riflemen. 

"  He  jined  a  few  days  ahead  o'  me.  It  was  him 
brought  word  to  San  Pedro  that  Castro  was  march 
ing  on  the  coast.  Perhaps  ye  heard  how  he  took 
command  an'  licked  th'  Mexicans  jist  below  Rivera 
after  they  killed  our  old  Cap'n  Brunt?  " 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  We've  heard  nothing  except  that  the  riflemen 
have  been  conducting  a  vigorous  campaign  in  the 
south,"  returned  the  padre. 

"  That's  the  word,"  cried  Tim ;  "  and  it's  him 
as  did  it." 

"  Is  he  well?  "  ventured  Eleanor. 

"  Be  th'  power  of  his  arm,  Senorita,  ye'd  say 
yis ;  an'  be  th'  look  of  him  ye'd  say  no.  He's  thin 
as  a  colt  an'  as  solemn  as  an  Injun." 

Eleanor  was  still  puzzling  as  to  whether  she 
should  be  depressed  or  rejoiced  over  this  intelli 
gence,  when  Viviena  Marshall  dashed  into  the  mis 
sion,  closed  the  door  quickly  behind  her  and  threw 
herself  against  it.  "  It's  Jocoso, "  she  gasped. 
"  He's  dreadful  —  I  —  had  to  fly  from  him  —  he's 
so  persistent !  " 

There  came  a  tap  at  the  door.  "  That's  Jo 
coso,"  she  exclaimed. 

"  Ssssh ! "  warned  Tim.  "  Don't  ye  let  that 
greaser  know  as  I'm  here.  "  With  that,  he  re- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


treated  through  the  kitchen  and  thence,  under 
cover  of  a  cactus  fence,  reached  the  orange  grove 
unseen.  Eleanor  had  hurried  after  him,  but  he 
was  gone  before  she  could  stop  him.  When  she 
returned  to  the  living  room,  she  found  Jocoso 
saluting  the  padre  at  the  door. 

The  Mexican  entered  with  a  grin.  "  Hah,  Pa 
dre,  what  you  think  ?  "  he  began,  referring  to  the 
widow.  "She  make  great  imbecilo  out  of  me  —  eh? 
Ah,  I  don'  mind.  Some  day,  I  tell  you,  Padre, 
you  also,  Senorita,  and  you  mostly,  Senora,  we  get 
marry.  You  like  that,  Padre?  Yes!"  The 
lieutenant  was  all  confidence,  all  happiness.  He 
turned  from  one  to  the  other,  smiling.  His  expres 
sion  instantly  changed,  however,  as  he  saw  through 
the  door,  which  he  had  left  open  behind  him,  the 
figure  of  one  of  his  sergeants.  The  man  stopped 
on  the  threshold,  saluted  Jocoso,  and  held  out  a 
paper  which  was  decorated  with  a  huge  red  seal. 

The  lieutenant  took  the  document,  excused  him- 
262 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


self  to  the  others  and  tore  it  open.  It  was  brief. 
It  ran :  "  On  receipt  of  this  order,  Senor  Jocoso 
shall  call  out  his  regiment,  burn  the  San  Gabriel 
Mission  and  the  settlement  about  it,  and  put  to 
death  all  who  resist."  It  was  signed  by  General 
Castro. 

Jocoso  was  horrified.  He  reread  the  order  a 
half-dozen  times.  It  seemed  incredible.  He 
turned  to  the  sergeant  and  inquired  in  Spanish, 

"  Are  you  sure  there  is  no  mistake  about  this  or 
der?" 

"  It  was  brought  to  the  presidio  by  a  courier 
riding  in  advance  of  his  Excellency's  army." 

"  In  advance  of  his  Excellency's  army  ?  "  asked 
the  lieutenant,  astonished.  "  Where  is  the  army  ?  " 

"  It  should  be  close  by  San  Gabriel  now,  Senor. 
His  Excellency  is  making  a  forced  march  to  Los 
Angeles." 

"Close  by!"  reiterated  the  officer;  "then  this 
order  has  been  delayed  ?  " 
263 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Yes,  Sefior ;  the  courier's  horse  was  shot  from 
under  him ;  he  travelled  a  long  way  on  foot.  " 

Jocoso  pondered  for  a  moment,  then  asked, 
"  You  know  the  contents  of  this  order?  " 

"No,  Senor!" 

The  lieutenant  studied  the  paper  again. 
"  Mother  of  God, "  he  exclaimed,  finally ;  "  there 
is  no  mistake !  " 

"  What  is  the  trouble?  "  ventured  the  padre. 

"  Ah,  "  cried  Jocoso,  "  this  is  —  "  He  checked 
himself.  He  had  been  on  the  point  of  saying, 
"  This  is  an  assassin's  commission,  not  a  soldier's." 
Instead,  he  glared  at  the  document,  his  lips  twitch 
ing,  his  face  pale.  It  was  clear  to  all  that  he  was 
suffering  mental  agony. 

"What  are  your  commands,  Sefior?"  This 
came  from  the  sergeant. 

With  a  quick  movement,  Jocoso  tore  off  his  own 
epaulets  and  handed  them  to  the  messenger,  ex 
claiming,  "  Take  these  to  his  Excellency !  I  am 
264 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


no  longer  an  officer  of  the  Mexican  army.     Go !  " 

The  amazement  of  the  others  was  no  less  than 
that  of  the  sergeant.  He  took  the  epaulets  me 
chanically,  saluted,  and  strode  out  of  the  house. 

Viviena  immediately  precipitated  herself  into  the 
lieutenant's  arms,  crying,  "  Jocoso,  I  love  you ! " 

Somewhat  embarrassed,  he  returned  her  embrace. 
Then,  with  naive  bravado,  seasoned,  one  might  say, 
with  an  air  of  proprietorship,  he  ventured  to  kiss 
his  sweetheart. 

"  Tomorrow,  maybe,"  said  he,  "  if  the  Senora 
like  and  the  Padre  will,  we  get  marry.  This  or 
der,  which  I  at  first  hate,  now  I  adore ;  only  becows 
it  give  me  excusas  I  have  wish  for.  It  was  impos 
sible  for  me." 

"  What  does  the  order  signify  ?  "  inquired  the 
priest. 

Jocoso  released  himself  from  Viviena,  and  of 
fered  the  paper  to  the  padre.     The  women  looked 
over  the  old  man's  shoulder. 
265 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  M  adre  de  Dios,"  gasped  the  padre.  "And 
Castro  is  on  his  way  here.  He  may  even  now  be 
at  the  presidio." 

"  When  he  receives  Jocoso's  answer,  he  will  no 
doubt  execute  this  order  himself,"  supplemented 
Eleanor.  "  We  must  send  for  the  California  Rifle 
men." 

"Send  me,"  suggested  Jocoso. 

Viviena's  happiness  was  complete.  She  told  Jo 
coso  confidentially  that  she  adored  him,  while  the 
padre  pointed  out  from  the  doorway  the  location  of 
the  troop.  Jocoso  took  the  order  as  his  credentials 
and  ran  rapidly  toward  the  encampment. 


266 


"NOW  THE  BATTLE  COMES" 


CHAPTER  XIX 

W    THE    BATTLE    COH 

HE  California  Riflemen,  responding  to  Jo- 
cosco's  summons,  came  into  conflict  with 
Castro's  advance  guard,  and  the  lieuten 
ant's  former  regiment,  at  twilight,  on  the  edge  of 
the  San  Gabriel  settlement.  The  Mexicans,  com 
pletely  surprised,  fell  back  panic-stricken  to  the 
main  body,  while  the  riflemen  hastened  to  fortify 
themselves  behind  the  mission  walls. 

Night  fell  and  under  its  cover  Captain  Courtesy 
rode  away  westward.  His  purpose  was  to  bring  to 
the  reinforcement  of  San  Gabriel  a  body  of  United 
States  dragoons  under  General  Kearny  and  Colonel 
Fremont,  who  were  supposed  to  be  marching  upon 
Los  Angeles.  Whether  under  their  government's 
orders  or  not,  these  officers,  together  with  Com 
modore  Stockton  —  who,  commanding  the  Union 
269 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


fleet  in  California  waters,  had  taken  San  Pedro  — 
were  nowr  actively  engaged  in  the  support  of  the 
revolution.  So  it  was  with  every  hope  of  a  suc 
cessful  issue  that  the  captain  set  out  upon  his  er 
rand,  trusting  the  command  of  the  riflemen  to  his 
lieutenant,  Slade,  an  old  Indian  fighter  and  a  man 
of  cunning  as  well  as  courage. 

With  the  advent  of  the  troop,  the  mission  became 
a  fortress,  the  approach  to  which  was  disputed  here 
and  there  by  riflemen,  entrenched  behind  cactus 
fences  and  the  outlying  walls  of  dismantled  shops, 
tannery,  and  mills ;  while  within  the  mission,  every 
window  and  vantage  point,  from  the  bell  tower  to 
the  low  wall  in  front  of  the  priest's  house,  showed  a 
gun  muzzle.  Even  in  the  chapel,  whither  the 
padre  had  sent  the  women,  Black  Moccasin  sat  on  a 
window-ledge  with  a  rifle  across  his  knees. 

Two  candles,  in  tall  brass  sticks,  burned  on  the 
altar.  Otherwise,  the  chapel  was  dark, 

From  his  post  at  the  window,  farthest  from  the 
270 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


chancel,  the  Indian  turned  from  his  scrutiny  of  the 
night,  to  dwell  for  a  moment  upon  the  scene  within, 
which  had  a  profound  fascination  for  him.  The 
candles  illuminated  the  gilded  and  tinted  figures  of 
Virgin  and  saints,  carved  in  high  relief,  over  the 
altar,  whence  they  looked  down  with  benevolence 
upon  the  padre,  kneeling  in  prayer  over  the  tomb 
of  pioneer  fathers.  The  light  shone  upon  the  sil 
ver  bowl  of  holy  water  and  the  bright  aspergill ;  it 
fell  aslant  the  burnished  lid  of  the  copper  font  and 
laid  bare  the  cracks  in  the  brick  tiles  of  the  bap 
tistry;  it  threw  back  the  shadows  a  little  from  the 
white-yellow  walls,  disclosing  portraits  of  saints 
which  hung  between  the  buttresses;  and,  as  the 
flames  flared  up  in  a  current  of  air,  a  streak  of 
light  leaped  across  the  worn  benches  and  for  an  in 
stant  picked  out  from  the  gloom  the  anxious  faces 
of  the  women. 

Thus,  through  that  long  night,  they  kept  vigil 
in  San  Gabriel. 

271 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


At  last  the  candle-light  began  to  pale  and  the 
watchers  saw  dawn  fling  wide  the  shutters  of  the 
night  and  morning's  bright  face  peep  over  the 
sill  of  the  east. 

A  puff  of  smoke  greeted  the  rising  sun,  and 
clung  for  a  moment  to  the  tops  of  an  orange  grove, 
then  floated  over  a  near-by  hill,  like  a  gray  scarf 
from  the  shoulder  of  a  woman.  A  shot  echoed 
through  the  valley  and  a  black  sphere  whirled  high 
over  the  mission.  It  was  the  signal  of  attack. 

Instantly  the  noise  of  battle  hurtled  through  the 
air  as  the  Mexicans,  under  cover  of  the  artillery, 
advanced  in  a  long  uncertain  line,  firing  rapidly  in 
irregular  volleys  as  they  came.  They  were  met  by 
scattering,  but  well-aimed  shots  from  the  en 
trenched  riflemen,  who  checked  the  advance  until 
the  battery  on  the  ridge,  finding  the  range,  made 
the  outlying  defenses  untenable.  Then  the  Mex 
icans  pressed  forward,  took  possession  of  the 
abandoned  shelters,  and  held  them,  notwithstand- 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


ing  the  effective  marksmanship  of  the  Americans. 

Eleanor  turned  from  the  window,  where  she  had 
been  watching,  and  dropped  down  on  a  bench  be 
side  Viviena,  who  was  busily  engaged  rolling  band 
ages.  "  I  never  want  to  go  through  another 
battle.  This  is  dreadful,"  she  exclaimed.  "I'm 
so  afraid." 

"Look,  look!"  cried  Gray  Feather  at  her 
father's  elbow. 

Viviena  sprang  to  the  window.  "  Oh, 
Eleanor,  "  she  groaned ;  "  they're  driving  the  rifle 
men  back  from  the  cactus  fence.  Why  don't  those 
troops  come  ?  " 

"  Got  come  long  trail,"  answered  Black  Mocca 
sin,  as  he  finished  reloading  his  rifle.  The  Indian 
leveled  his  piece  across  the  sill,  held  his  breath,  and 
sighted  the  gun  at  a  Mexican  who  venturesomely 
climbed  a  low  wall  about  two  hundred  yards  away. 
Gray  Feather  watched,  fascinated,  while  Eleanor 
and  Viviena  thrust  their  fingers  in  their  ears  and 
273 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


shrank  back  in  trepidation.  The  report  of  the 
rifle  reverberated  through  the  chapel. 

K  Got  —  him !  "  remarked  Black  Moccasin,  with 
satisfaction,  as  the  Mexican  pitched  over  the  wall. 

Eleanor  shuddered.  "  Don't  say  that  —  it 
seems  like  murder." 

"No  kill  him,  him  kill  us.  Got  long  rifle." 
The  Indian  stoically  rammed  another  ball  home. 
As  he  was  about  to  hand  the  rod  to  Gray  Feather, 
it  was  struck  from  his  grasp  and  a  bullet  flattened 
itself  against  the  wall  behind  him.  At  the  same 
time  the  padre,  who  had  been  making  the  rounds 
of  the  mission,  entered  the  chapel.  He  carried  a 
musket  and  over  his  shoulder  swung  a  powder  horn 
and  bullet  pouch.  Black  Moccasin  was  about  to 
shoot  again.  The  old  man  called  upon  him  to 
stop,  saying,  "  You're  drawing  their  fire.  Come 
with  me." 

The  Indian  obediently  left  the  window  and  fol 
lowed  the  priest  to  an  inner  door.  Eleanor  looked 
274 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


at  the  old  man  in  amazement.  "  Where  are  you 
going  ? "  she  asked,  raising  her  voice  that  she 
might  be  heard  above  the  tumult  without. 

"  To  fight,"  returned  the  padre. 

"You,  a  priest,  fight?" 

"  Why  not  ?  "  he  inquired,  his  eyes  flashing  from 
under  his  heavy  brows.  "  San  Gabriel  was  dedi 
cated  to  God.  I  have  protected  it  with  other 
weapons  before  now.  Today  it  seems  to  me  that 
a  gun  will  serve  Him  best." 

The  padre  took  Black  Moccasin  by  the  arm  and 
they  went  out  together. 

Eleanor,  ill  with  dread,  leaned  back  against  the 
wall  under  a  portrait  of  Saint  Padua.  Her  imagi 
nation  conjured  up  a  dozen  deaths  for  the  old 
priest  and  she  saw,  in  fancy,  Courtesy  lying  pale 
and  still  beneath  the  redwood  chapparal  of  a  moun 
tain  trail.  "  Mother  of  God,  protect  them,"  she 
murmured.  "  Viviena,  Viviena,  I  know  that  we 
shall  all  be  killed." 

275 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


"  Don't  say  that,  dear.  Jocoso  is  out  there 
fighting  for  us,  too.  We  must  keep  up  courage." 
The  widow  started  at  the  sound  of  some  one  open 
ing  the  door,  and  discovered  a  man.  He  was  hat- 
less,  his  face  so  blackened  with  powder  and  his  eye 
brows  and  hair  so  singed  that  she  did  not  recognize 
him.  Only  at  the  sight  of  what  had  once  been  a 
scarlet  uniform,  but  which  was  now  mostly  shreds 
and  grime,  she  shrank  back  in  fear,  thinking  that 
the  enemy  had  invaded  the  mission. 

The  intruder  paused  and  bowing  said,  "  Muchas 
excusas!  You  got  a  gun  you  don't  use?" 

"  Jocoso !  "  cried  Viviena,  both  surprised  and 
alarmed.  "  You  are  hurt  ?  " 

He  backed  away  from  her  embrace,  grinning. 
"Maybe  no!  My  gun  was.  Him  explode." 

"Have  you  been  fighting?"  Viviena  clung  to 
one  of  his  grimy  hands. 

"  No,"  he  responded  gravely ;  "  I  have  just  come 
from  a  concerto." 

276 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


A  cannon  ball  crashed  through  the  chapel  wall, 
carrying  away  a  crucifix  and  scattering  bits  of 
plaster  and  stone  over  the  tiled  floor. 

Unconsciously  Eleanor  went  to  Jocoso  in  trepi 
dation.  "Shall  we  be  defeated?"  she  asked. 

The  Mexican  shook  his  head  dubiously.  "  Ten 
Mexicanos  to  one  Americano.  But  now  I  got 
Americano  heart  from  quenda  mia,"  said  he,  with 
a  look  at  the  widow,  "  I  got  ten  more  time  the  same 
courage  as  other  Mexicanos." 

Viviena  squeezed  his  hand. 

"  Say  you  got  no  gun  ?  " 

They  told  him  there  were  no  arms  in  the  chapel. 

"  Quick  I  go  then."  He  disengaged  himself 
from  the  widow. 

"  Kiss  me !  "  she  commanded. 

He  dodged  her  and,  when  he  had  reached  the 
door,  called  back,  "  I  kiss  you  when  I  wash  my  face 
after  battle."  He  disappeared. 

Then,  above  the  continuous  rattle  of  small  arms 
277 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


and  the  intermittent  discharge  of  cannon,  they 
heard  the  crash  of  a  musket  volley,  fired  as  from 
one  gun,  and  a  cheer  arose  from  the  beleaguered 
mission. 

Eleanor  and  Viviena  ran  with  eagerness  to  the 
window  where  Gray  Feather  kept  persistent  watch. 
What  they  saw  was  a  shroud  of  smoke,  gray, 
inscrutable,  hanging  low  over  the  landscape,  like 
a  night  mist.  Above  it  shone  the  sun;  beneath  it 
shadowed  forth  the  hurrying  feet  of  men.  Then, 
as  the  wind  stirred  the  smoke  into  eddies,  the 
women  at  the  window  caught  a  glimpse  of  blue 
uniforms  as  Kearny's  troop  swept  by  the  chapel 
and  drove  Castro's  men  from  the  outlying 
walls. 

Now  and  again  the  women  heard  the  boom  of 
the  Mexican  cannon  verberating  over  the  rattle  of 
musketry,  like  the  deep  tones  of  an  organ  surging 
above  the  voices  of  a  distant  choir.  The  noise  of 
battle  became  more  intense  and  the  smoke  of  it  bil- 
278 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


lowed  across  the  face  of  the  mission,  shutting  out 
even  the  light  of  the  sun. 

They  stood  watching  for  some  time  in  silence. 
Presently  Viviena,  grown  impatient,  exclaimed,  "  I 
can't  see.  I'm  going  up  to  the  tower.  You  can 
get  a  better  view  from  there.  Come  on !  " 

As  she  disappeared  through  one  door,  without 
waiting  for  the  others  to  follow,  Tim  Burke,  trail 
ing  a  musket,  entered  by  another,  staggered  for 
ward  a  step  and  fell  face  down  on  the  tiles.  Im 
mediately,  Gray  Feather  was  on  the  floor  beside 
him.  She  took  his  head  in  her  lap,  moaning,  while 
Eleanor,  with  nimble  fingers,  ripped  the  sleeve  of 
the  lad's  jacket.  A  bullet  had  passed  through  a 
muscle  of  his  arm  and  severed  an  artery.  Eleanor 
quickly  knotted  a  bit  of  bandage  above  the  wound, 
checked  the  flow  of  blood,  revived  the  youth,  and 
dressed  his  arm. 

As  Tim  gazed  up  at  the  Indian  girl  and  saw  the 
wonder  of  tears  in  her  eyes,  he  asked  faintly  and 
279 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


with  a  grin,  "  What'r  ye  bawlin'  for?  I  ain't  a 
corpse." 

Gray  Feather  vouchsafed  no  answer,  only  looked 
smilingly  at  him  in  a  way  that  perhaps  Eleanor 
best  understood. 

"  You  feel  better  ?  "  Eleanor  inquired. 

"  Sure,  I'm  all  right.  Jist  hoist  me  to  me  feet. 
I  can  stand,"  he  insisted. 

They  placed  him  on  a  bench.  "  I  do  feel  a  bit 
wabbly,"  he  confessed,  leaning  back  against 
wall.  "  Thank  ye,  Senorita,"  he  added,  as  Eleanor 
laid  his  arm  in  a  sling.  "  You're  an  angel."  At 
the  same  time  he  thrust  out  his  uninjured  arm  to 
the  Indian  girl  and  drew  her  close  to  him. 

Eleanor  turned  away  from  them  to  pick  up 
Tim's  musket  and,  when  she  had  placed  it  against 
a  buttress,  she  inquired  of  the  youth  whether  he 
had  heard  or  seen  anything  of  Captain  Courtesy. 
Tim  had  both  heard  and  seen,  and  went  on  to  tell 
that  it  was  Courtesy  who  had  brought  up  General 
280 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


Kearny's  outfit ;  how  the  captain  had  plunged  into 
the  thick  of  battle  and  led  the  riflemen  until 
struck  by  a  ball. 

"  Shot?"  Eleanor's  eyes  widened  with  alarm. 

"  Ah,  he  ain't  kilt  entirely,"  Tim  reassured  her, 
"  but  he  was  hit  hard.  Me  and  Jocoso  carried  him 
back  of  the  old  soap  shop  an'  fixed  him  up.  Do  ye 
mind,  all  th'  time  he  was  axin'  about  ye:  was  ye 
safe  an'  all  that." 

"  I  must  go  to  him,"  she  said  with  determina 
tion. 

"'Tain't  no  use,"  Tim  declared.  "He's  back 
fightin'  again.  But  he  give  me  a  message  for  ye. 
He  says,  *  Tim,  if  ye  gits  through  alive  an'  I  don't, 
take  this  to  Senorita  Brinton  an'  tell  her  I've  kept 
me  word."  The  lad  thrust  his  hand  in  his  shirt 
and  plucked  forth  a  bit  of  kerchief  rolled  up  and 
stained  a  reddish  brown. 

Eleanor  hesitated  to  take  it.  A  sensation  of 
horror  smote  her.  What  message  should  be  sealed 
281 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


in  such  an  envelope?  Death!  She  believed  that 
Tim  lied  to  her.  "  Thank  you,"  was  all  that 
she  said.  Her  voice  sounded  even.  She  seemed 
unmoved.  Only  in  her  eyes  might  Tim  have  dis 
covered  her  misery.  She  sank  down  on  a  bench 
and  unfolded  the  piece  of  cambric.  A  partly  with 
ered  rose,  dyed  a  deeper  crimson  than  ever  nature 
had  painted  it,  fell  into  her  lap.  She  did  not  see 
Tim  and  Gray  Feather  steal  out  of  the  chapel. 
The  past  month  whirled  before  her  mind's  eye,  like 
a  panorama.  She  saw  the  captain,  over  Paquita's 
head,  take  the  rose  from  her  hand ;  saw  him  across 
the  breakfast  table  in  piquant  intimacy ;  saw  him 
tremble  as  she  sewed  a  button  on  his  tunic ;  saw  him 
defy  Jocoso  and  the  detail ;  saw  the  suffering  in  his 
face  as  he  pleaded  his  cause,  and  his  hopelessness 
when  they  closed  the  door  upon  him. 

There  the  panorama  came  abruptly  to  an  end, 
but  her  fancy  builded  up  another  scene  of  such 
dread  that  it  brought  her  to  her  feet  with  a  cry. 
282 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


She  started  for  a  door,  which  was  then  flung  open 
from  without  and  Jocoso  and  a  rifleman  dragged 
Captain  Courtesy  into  the  chapel. 


283 


"THE  LAST  GREAT  STAKE" 


CHAPTER  XX 

E    LAST    GEEAT    STA 

LEANOR  stood  wonder-struck,  before 
this  apparition  of  the  captain,  her 
heart  in  a  turmoil.  She  was  at  once 
thankful  and  fearful.  Courtesy's  head  was  bound 
in  what  had  once  been  a  white  kerchief  but  which 
was  now  brown  and  grimy.  Strands  of  his  hair 
hung  over  his  forehead,  matted  with  blood,  which 
also  streaked  his  tanned  face  and  ploughed  fur 
rows  through  the  coat  of  dust  and  powder.  His 
buckskin  and  linen  showed  the  stains  of  battle. 
His  breeches  and  boots  were  flecked  with  the  lather 
of  his  horse. 

He  returned  her  gaze  pityingly.  For  a  mo 
ment,  at  the  first  sight  of  him,  a  rose  tint  animated 
her  cheeks,  then  faded,  leaving  her  face  even  more 
pallid  than  before.  Her  veins  showed  blue  in  her 
temples,  while  under  her  lids  shadows  had  gathered, 
287 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


setting  her  eyes  deeply  in  her  head  and  lending 
them,  by  contrast,  an  unearthly  brilliancy.  She 
seemed  to  the  captain  like  some  worn,  disheveled 
angel. 

Courtesy  made  a  move  as  though  to  free  him 
self  from  the  men  who  held  him. 

"  Senorita,"  exclaimed  Jocoso,  "  el  Capitan 
mucho  hurted.  Make  him  to  stay." 

"  I'm  not !  Let  me  go,"  insisted  the  outlaw, 
with  a  vain  attempt  to  free  himself.  "  Senorita, 
tell  them  to  let  me  go."  There  was  something 
very  like  a  sob  in  his  entreaty. 

Eleanor  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm.  "  I  beg  of 
you  to  rest  here  —  just  for  a  moment." 

Her  touch  seemed  to  take  from  him  what  little 
resolution  remained.  His  knees  bent  beneath  him. 
Jocoso  and  the  rifleman  helped  him  to  a  bench, 
while  Eleanor  brought  a  cup  of  wine. 

"  Don't  let  him  go,  Senorita,"  admonished  Jo 
coso,  as  he  unbuckled  the  captain's  sword  and  laid 
288 


CAN  r  You  KK  REASONABLE?      SHK  CRIED 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


it  on  the  bench.      Then  he  withdrew  with  the  rifle 
man. 

Courtesy,  seeing  them  gone,  handed  Eleanor  the 
cup,  picked  up  his  sword  and  started  to  his  feet. 

She  faced  him  with  anger.  "  Can't  you  be 
reasonable  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  No,"  he  answered  doggedly. 

"Well,  you  shan't  go!"  She  snatched  the 
sword  from  him.  "  Sit  down !  "  she  commanded. 
He  mechanically  obeyed.  "  You  behave  like  a 
child,"  she  went  on ;  "  you  are  badly  wounded." 

"  But  there's  fighting  to  be  done,"  he  grumbled. 

Eleanor  ignored  his  remark,  brought  him  a  basin 
and  napkin  and  insisted  that  he  should  bathe  his 
face. 

"  I  wish  you  wouldn't  make  such  a  fuss  about 
me,"  he  exclaimed  with  petulance.  "  I'm  all 
right." 

"  But  you  look  horrible.  Besides  you'll  feel  bet 
ter  for  it." 

289 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


When  at  last  he  had  performed  his  ablutions  to 
her  satisfaction,  she  decided  that  he  should  have 
a  fresh  bandage  about  his  head. 

"  No,  I  haven't  time  for  that,"  he  objected.  "  I 
should  be  out  there  now.  Where's  my  sword  ?  " 

She  held  it  from  him.  "  I  shall  not  let  you  go 
yet." 

"  You  would,  Senorita,  if  you  knew  what  I  am 
fighting  for."  The  captain  sat  down  again  and 
pressed  his  fists  to  his  forehead. 

"  I  do  know :     You  are  fighting  for  us." 

"  Yes,  but  for  myself  as  well."  She  questioned 
him  with  a  look.  "  More  than  my  life  is  at 
stake,"  he  explained.  "  If  we  win  this  battle,  it 
means  that  not  only  you  and  yours  shall  be  safe 
here,  but  that  California  shall  be  free.  Commo 
dore  Stockton,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  is  now 
taking  Los  Angeles ;  the  army  of  the  great  repub 
lic  is  thrashing  Mexico  on  the  Texan  border;  Gen 
eral  Kearny,  who  is  here  with  us  today,  tells  me 
290 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


that  our  success  will  give  his  government  an  ex 
cuse  to  take  us  as  a  free  State  into  the  Union.  Cal 
ifornia  shall  become  a  part  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  Can  you  see  how  that  would  affect  me? 
California  no  longer  under  Mexican  rule,  I  shall  no 
longer  be  an  outlaw.  I  shall  be  a  citizen  of  the  re 
public.  I  may  serve  my  country  then  as  honestly 
as  you  might  wish.  And,  though  I  may  never 
hope  to  win  you,  at  least  I  shall  so  live  that  you 
must  think  better  of  me." 

He  had  risen  as  he  spoke  and  now  stood  facing 
Eleanor.  She  held  out  her  hand  to  him,  saying, 
"  God  is  good  to  us." 

He  scarcely  heard  her,  for  the  din  of  the  battle 
reverberated  through  the  chapel  with  renewed  vi 
olence,  yet  he  caught  her  meaning  in  her  eyes.  It 
was  a  strange  moment  of  inspiration  to  him,  in 
which  he  seemed  to  see  nothing  but  her  eyes,  and 
he  vowed  to  himself  that  henceforth  they  should 
be  as  the  altar  lights  of  his  soul.  He  sank  on  his 
291 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


knees  and  pressed  her  fingers  to  his  cheek.  She 
felt  a  warm  tear  on  her  hand  and  understood  and 
loved  him  the  more  because  he  was  silent. 

When  he  arose,  he  held  out  his  hand  for  the 
sword.  She  dreaded  to  give  it  to  him.  "  You 
must  go  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Would  you  have  me  stay  now  ?  "  he  returned. 

"  Yes,  because  I  fear  for  your  life ;  no,  because 
I  would  have  you  fearless,  even  unto  death."  She 
clasped  his  sword  belt  about  him,  her  fingers 
fumbling  with  the  buckle. 

He  saluted  her  and  went  his  way.  As  he  closed 
the  door  behind  him,  he  felt  faint  and  paused,  lean 
ing  against  the  wall.  Nature  rebelled.  He  had 
overdrawn  his  account  with  her.  He  had  ridden 
all  night;  he  had  fought  all  morning;  he  had  not 
tasted  food  for  hours ;  yet  he  had  performed  the 
service  of  ten  men.  So,  what  with  fatigue,  lack  of 
nourishment,  and  loss  of  blood,  his  strength  was 
exhausted.  Only  his  will  kept  him  on  his  feet, 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


but  now  even  his  brain  flagged.  He  was  conscious 
that  if  he  fell  he  might  not  be  able  to  rise  again. 
He  propped  himself  in  the  angle  of  a  buttress  and 
mechanically  prayed  for  strength. 

Meanwhile,  within  the  chapel,  Eleanor  watched 
by  a  window.  Through  the  rifts  in  the  smoke, 
she  caught  brief  glimpses  of  Kearny's  troops 
charging  the  battery  on  the  ridge,  of  a  cactus 
fence  sheltering  a  group  of  wounded  men,  of  a  bit 
of  golden  mustard-field  wrhere  American  and  Mexi 
can  lay  side  by  side,  like  brothers,  in  the  long 
sleep. 

Watching,  she  too  was  watched.  George  Gran- 
ville  observed  her  from  the  shelter  of  a  pepper- 
tree.  He  had  come  up  to  San  Gabriel  with 
Castro's  army.  He  took  no  part  in  the  battle; 
nevertheless,  being  interested  in  the  result,  he  fol 
lowed  its  vicissitudes  from  a  safe  distance.  With 
the  arrival  of  the  United  States  troops  and  the  con 
stant  shifting  of  the  Mexicans'  ground,  he 
293 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


found  himself  within  the  American  lines.  Then, 
for  greater  security,  he  took  a  position  close  to 
the  chapel. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  he  saw  Eleanor  at  the 
window.  The  battle  was  at  its  height.  He  judged 
her  to  be  alone  and,  with  no  ordered  project  in  his 
mind,  only  a  vague  purpose  of  revenge  for  the 
fancied  wrongs  she  had  done  him,  he  mounted 
the  stone  stairs  which  were  set  against  the 
chapel  wall,  and  broke  open  the  door  to  the  choir 
loft.  In  a  few  moments  he  was  standing  behind 
her.  She  felt  his  look  and  turned  to  him  with  a 
start.  As  she  watched  him  uncertainly,  the  Quix 
otic  notion  came  to  him  that,  under  cover  of  the 
turmoil,  he  might  fly  with  her  to  Mexico. 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  "  she  asked,  fear 
fully. 

"  I  have  come  to  take  you  away,"  he  replied. 
Without  heeding  her  exclamation  of  contempt,  he 
went  on.  "  The  fight's  lost.  The  mission  will 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


be  fired.     You  will  be  taken  prisoner.     Come  while 
we  may  yet  escape." 

"  You  coward !  Go !  save  yourself !  "  She  left 
him.  «• 

He  followed  her.  "  I'm  not  going  alone,"  he 
said  and,  seizing  her  by  the  wrists,  began  dragging 
her  up  the  aisle. 

She  struggled  with  him.  "  You  beast ! "  she 
cried. 

"  I  love  you  when  your  eyes  flash,"  he  laughed. 

With  a  sudden  movement  she  broke  away  from 
him  and  ran  toward  the  door,  calling  for  the  cap 
tain,  but  Granville  caught  her  again,  and  in  his 
arms,  exclaiming,  "  Cry  out ;  your  voice  is  lost  in 
the  noise  of  the  battle." 

Courtesy,  however,  propped  in  the  angle  of  the 
buttress  just  outside  of  the  door  did  hear. 
Eleanor's  cry  electrified  him.  The  lethargy  fell 
from  him,  like  a  cloak.  He  staggered  to  the 
chapel  door  and  flung  it  open. 
295 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


At  the  sight  of  the  captain,  Granville  pushed 
Eleanor  from  him  with  a  curse  and,  looking  about 
for  a  weapon,  saw  Tim's  musket  by  the  window. 
He  snatched  it  up  and,  aiming  it  at  Courtesy, 
pulled  the  trigger.  The  hammer  fell  with  a  click. 
The  gun  was  unloaded.  It  was  equipped,  how 
ever,  with  a  bayonet.  He  leveled  it  at  the  captain 
and  charged  him.  At  the  same  time,  Eleanor 
sprang  between  the  men,  but  Granville  flung  her 
aside.  This  interruption  gave  Courtesy  time  to 
guard  himself. 

"  I  shall  kill  you  here  as  I  did  your  people  in 
San  Pedro,"  cried  Granville,  in  a  passion,  striking 
at  the  captain,  who  was  so  overcome  at  this  intel 
ligence  that  he  could  scarcely  defend  himself.  His 
sword  struck  from  his  hand,  he  tottered  and  fell 
upon  his  back,  and  lay  still  as  though  he  were  dead. 

"  He's  done  for,"  exclaimed  Granville  with  sat 
isfaction,  bending  over  him. 

Eleanor  started  toward  the  captain,  sobbing, 
296 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


when  she  saw  him  throw  up  his  arms  and  grasp  the 
musket.  With  an  exclamation  of  chagrin,  Gran- 
ville  tried  to  wrench  the  weapon  from  Courtesy's 
hold.  In  the  struggle  the  outlaw  regained  his  feet. 
As  they  wrestled  for  possession  of  the  gun,  the 
clear  notes  of  a  bugle,  sounding  "  stop  firing," 
rose  high  above  the  confusion  of  battle,  and  pres 
ently  the  boom  of  cannon  and  the  staccato  reports 
of  musketry  ceased.  Still  the  men  within  the 
chapel  struggled  back  and  forth  from  wall  to  wall. 
To  Eleanor  it  was  a  scene  of  terrible  fascination. 
The  tenacity  of  Courtesy  at  first  amazed  and  then 
angered  his  opponent.  Granville  became  intoxi 
cated  with  passion,  so  that  his  rage  blinded  both 
his  sight  and  his  wits.  He  exhausted  his  strength 
without  effect;  his  confidence  flagged,  and  he  be 
gan  to  wish  himself  well  out  of  it.  Yet  he  dared 
not  release  his  hold.  Courtesy,  who  had  been  hus 
banding  his  strength,  suddenly,  at  this  sign  of 
weakening,  with  a  furious  twist,  wrenched  the 
297 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


musket  free.  At  that  instant  Granville,  losing  his 
footing,  went  down  on  one  knee,  clutching  a  broken 
wrist. 

Immediately  the  captain  stood  over  him,  his 
weapon  raised,  the  bayonet  pointing  at  the  rene 
gade's  breast.  He  was  about  to  strike,  when 
Eleanor  stayed  his  arm. 

"  No,  no,  Leonardo,"  she  cried.  It  was  an  ap 
peal;  not  a  command. 

"  He  is  the  murderer  of  my  father,  my  mother," 
returned  the  captain  terribly,  with  bayonet  still 
poised. 

"  Be  merciful,"  she  entreated ;  "  don't  take  your 
revenge.  Show  yourself  worthy  of  my  love." 

He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  gave  a  groan,  the 
only  demonstration  of  the  end  of  a  great  conflict 
in  his  soul,  and  suffered  her  to  take  the  musket 
from  his  hands. 

"  Go!  "  he  commanded. 

In  obedience,  Granville  got  to  his  feet,  without 
298 


CAPTAIN  COURTESY 


a  word,  disappeared  through  a  door  and  was  gone 
out  of  their  lives. 

Courtesy  looked  at  Eleanor  uncertainly.  She 
threw  aside  the  musket  and  held  out  a  hand  to  him. 
Still  he  stood  bewildered. 

Then,  from  without,  they  heard  a  vaunting  cry : 
"  The  Mexicans  are  in  full  retreat !  "  and  the  padre 
calling,  "  The  victory  is  ours !  " 

"  The  victory  is  yours,  Senor !  "  whispered  El 
eanor. 

Captain  Courtesy,  understanding  the  dear  in 
vitation  of  her  eyes,  better  than  her  triumphant 
words,  took  her  hand  humbly,  wondering  if  a  mortal 
might  dare  embrace  one,  who  seemed  almost  a  saint, 
standing  within  the  gates  of  Paradise.  But  — 
since  a  saint  may  also  be  a  woman  —  it  is  permitted 
to  her,  the  choice  having  been  made,  to  give  herself 
in  love.  All  of  which  was  the  captain's  particular 
business  and  none  of  ours. 


299 


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